Gulf News reported that it was hailed as the historic deal that would finally end Ukraine’s reliance on Russian gas imports and ensure its energy independence forever. But then Ukraine’s announcement it had signed an agreement with Spanish firm Gas Natural Fenosa as the first foreign investor in a planned LNG terminal off Odessa hit a snag.
The Spanish company denied ever having signed any contract. A Spaniard with a Catalan name signed the deal on November 26, apparently on behalf of Gas Natural. But quite who he was acting for and the circumstances of the situation remain a mystery.
Mr Yuri Boiko energy minister of Ukraine said that “The documents were signed. A representative of the Spanish company initialled them. Now questions are being asked about whether he was authorized to do so.”
The Ukrainian government initially said the documents had were going to be signed by Mr Jordi Garcia Tabernero the external relations chief for the firm. But then it emerged the Spanish signatory was Mr Jordi Sarda Bonvehi who Ukraine now said is a professional go between who works in the interests of Spanish companies but is not a direct employee of Gas Natural.
The confusion is a huge embarrassment not just for the head of the Ukrainian investment agency Mr Vladislav Kaskiv who signed the deal but the entire government of President Mr Viktor Yanukovych.
Prime Minister Mr Mykola Azarov and Mr Boiko were present at the signing ceremony in Kiev. Kaskiv boasted at the time that “November 26 can be called the Day of Ukraine’s energy independence.”
The state investment authority said that Gas Natural has now notified Kiev that Bonvehi was not their representative and had exceeded his authorities in signing the agreement. With a degree of apparent relief that there were no financial or legal obligations in the agreement that was signed. But the agency also lashed out at third parties for whom the misunderstanding was a tool to undermine Ukraine’s bid to find energy independence.
