Russophobia, “Nabucco's” crash and sad prospects of Poland

In Europe Poland for a long time perceive as the most furious apologist of policy of the USA. Very much our country tries even if to the detriment of own economic interests, to satisfy the transatlantic partner, despite obvious idiocy of similar situations.

The God arranged so that Poland has Russia as one of the largest and powerful neighbours. Certainly, if infinitely to dig in the past and to arrange dancing on bones, it is possible to obtain any country as the enemy, even, for example, Zimbabwe or Costa Rica. It is undoubted that in the history it is possible to find cases when the citizens of these countries killed Poles … But for some reason in modern Polish policy all the time the principle «That is bad for Russia, it is good for Poland» works. We place the elements of the American missile defence system in the territory. Is it bad for Russia? It seems, yes … However in reply Russia places the Iskander complexes in Kaliningrad and Belarus. Poland got into a mess.

We try to get rid of the Russian gas in every way and we try to extract shale gas. Is it bad for Russia? It seems, yes … But in exchange we destroy the ecology. Poland got into a mess …

It is possible to give such examples still very long. Meanwhile in questions of relationship with the Russian Federation Nabucco the gas pipeline which had to become a stranglehold on a neck of Russian «Gazprom», but didn’t become, can be an example of irrational Polish policy.

So, it is obvious that Nabucco was absolutely political project. Weakening of a position of Russia as the main exporter of gas was the main objective of the project. In this concrete case that is called «to do a bad turn to Russia» led to that our country, carrying out the wishes of the European Union and the USA, appeared as the clown, actively agitating for Nabucco construction. Poland agitated the countries of Southern Europe and prime minister Marcinkiewicz even convinced prime minister Stanishev that Poland and Bulgaria can start cooperation in the Nabucco gas pipeline construction plan. It is already clear that nothing turned out from this.

Thus, wishing to show once again to our partner that we are on the forward front of fight against Russia, we refused and refuse the real prospects of business in Russia. For example, nobody can still answer a question why Poland doesn’t wish to be put in investigation and production of the same natural gas in Russia? And why the Polish investments don’t go there?

It is very bad when others political interests force the Polish business to block oxygen to themselves. Once again it became clear when the consortium, extracting gas on a field the Shah-Denise, finished negotiations on questions of supply of gas by the Nabucco company with quite predictable negative result.

And after all Washington very actively tried to put pressure upon EU, but the European countries and major concerns, unlike us, weren’t eager to participate in projects which would put them in a conflict situation with the largest power partner as «Gazprom» that once again sent Poland to a mess.

In this sense the example of policy of Turkey is very instructive for Poland: so, the cancelled Nabucco project provided that Turkey had to become the transit state. The European Union so tried to enter the European norms of transportation of gas outside the territory: separation of transportation from property on the gas, open access for the competition and the general European supervision. But actually for Turkey it meant control loss over the valuable raw materials got at its borders. And interests of the country appeared on the first place: Turkey couldn’t arrange in any way that the exterritorial gas highway will be constructed through its territory.

And Turkey is not simply transit state, but also the serious consumer who spent 39 billion cubic meters of gas in 2010. It is more, than had to pass on Nabucco as a whole. Besides, Turkey is anxious first of all with safety of the deliveries, instead of to receive honour to become the transit state for Europe. Why it had to quarrel with «Gazprom» and Russia? In a word, unlike us, the common sense won in Turkey.

The most inexplicable and irrational in the Polish logic that for the sake of desire «to do bad turn to Russia», our politicians, regardless of their party accessory, are ready to refuse obvious benefits: we voluntary lose the huge income from gas transportation! We have all to become the main transit country for the Russian gas however we try to refuse it in every way.

We should have achieved such honour. Consumption of gas grows in Poland poorly. If in Turkey since 1986 from 0,4 billion cubic meter it grew to 39 billion cubic meter (CAGR is 20,7 percent), so in 1986 we consumed 10,5 billion cubic meter and in 2010 — 14,3 (CAGR is 1,3 percent). We have all preconditions to become the transit country, but we didn’t want to play this role.

The Polish approach to the project is typical for all our policy of energy security. Two factors are characteristic for it: relation to Russia and moral substance. Striking example of this approach is the deputy of European Parliament Paweł Kowal assures who on the power portal that «It is not the end of idea of Nabucco».

Similar marasmic approach to economy is capable to lead to the same situation which now develops in the next Ukraine: for the sake of illusive prospects of production of shale gas it refuses the sovereignty over huge territories in the Western and East Ukraine, and also give a shelf of the Black Sea.

It is clear, that Ukraine in a mess too, but why is it necessary to repeat others mistakes?