U.S. Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Resolution To Support Eastern Europe Energy Independence
By Todd Prince
WASHINGTON -- Members of the U.S. House of Representatives on October 31 introduced a bipartisan resolution to support energy independence in Central and Eastern Europe, a day after Russia moved a step closer to completing a new gas pipeline to Germany.
Representatives Marcy Kaptur (Democrat-Ohio) and Adam Kinzinger (Republican-Illinois) sponsored the resolution, which expresses U.S. support for new energy projects -- including transportation and renewable energy generation -- that enhance connectivity in the 12 countries located between the Adriatic, Black, and Baltic Seas and reduce their dependence on Russia. The 12-nation partnership is known as the Three Seas Initiative.
Eastern and Central Europe have historically been heavily dependent on Russian oil and gas, with Hungary still receiving all of its gas imports from Kremlin-controlled Gazprom. The region lacks energy infrastructure running along north-south routes that could help it diversify its energy sources, including imports from the United States.
“Russia has long used energy as a weapon to coerce and manipulate our European allies,” Kinzinger said in a statement introducing the resolution. “As American energy production continues to rise, we have an opportunity to support our allies in Central and Eastern Europe with an alternative.”
U.S. oil and gas production has surged over the past decade amid the shale revolution, enabling the country to end a ban on exports. Central and Eastern Europe require additional terminals and pipelines in order to increase imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas. The resolution reaffirms U.S. financial support for projects that advance U.S. economic or foreign policy interests.
The resolution comes a day after Denmark gave approval to Russia to lay a gas export pipeline through its waters, the last regulatory hurdle to the project's completion.
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline will carry 55 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Germany, doubling the country’s imports of Russia gas. Gazprom expects to complete the project -- which is already more than 80 percent built -- in the next few months.
Washington has criticized the Nord Stream 2 project, saying it will increase Europe’s dependency on Russian energy. The House and Senate are considering bills that would sanction the companies helping to build the pipeline.
“Now that Danish authorities have approved the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, we must now act swiftly to boost the energy security of our European allies by passing this critical legislation as well as sanctioning the pipeline,” Kaptur said in the statement.
No date has been set for a House vote on the resolution. House resolutions are not binding law but rather express the collective sentiment of the House on a particular issue, person, or event.
Ukraine Parliament Votes To Arrest Fellow Lawmaker On Embezzlement Charges
By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
Sixty-two days after being sworn in, Ukraine’s new parliament on October 31 voted in a lengthy procedure to arrest one of its own members on suspicion of masterminding a million-dollar embezzlement scheme.
Yaroslav Dubnevych, a member of the Za Maybutnye (For the Future) party that political analysts say is affiliated with billionaire Ihor Kolomoyskiy, is suspected of siphoning $3.75 million from the state-run railway company Ukrzaliznytsya.
Specifically, Dubnevych allegedly lobbied to have money allocated from the railway company to firms that he controls for procurement orders that led to financial losses at Ukrzaliznytsya.
While filing a note in parliament to prosecute the lawmaker, Prosecutor-General Ruslan Ryaboshapka said there was enough evidence to prove Dubnevych's guilt.
Dubnevych said the allegations lacked evidence and that the case smacked of political populism.
A majority of lawmakers then voted to strip him of his prosecutorial immunity, to detain, and then arrest him.
Ryaboshapka assured parliament prior to voting that he would not arrest Dubnevych in the legislative chamber.
A bail hearing is scheduled for November 1 at the High Anti-Corruption Court. Prosecutors will ask to keep him either in custody or that bail be set at $3.75 million.
If found guilty, Dubnevych could receive a prison sentence of seven to 12 years for “misappropriation, embezzlement of property, or seizure of property by abuse of office.”
He is a three-term lawmaker and in 2014 became a member of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc in parliament, named after the former president.
That's all for the live blog today. See you again tomorrow!