You're reading: Communist Party opposes project on shale gas production in Ukraine

The Communist Party of Ukraine has opposed the project on shale gas extraction in the country, said Party Leader Petro Symonenko.

“We firmly oppose the project. Instead of economic independence, as the power assures, ecological and economic damages will be made,” he said at a press conference in Kyiv.

Symonenko said that some European countries stopped projects on shale gas production due to the opinion of the public, who opposed their implementation.

He reported that the party would demand the holding of local referendums in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

“We are collecting signatures to hold local referendums. The residents of the regions that might appear at the risk of an environmental catastrophe should agree to such projects or not,” he said.

In addition, he said the Communist Party demands the profile minister report to the parliament on the environmental impact of shale gas production, as well as independent environmental experts be involved in the discussion and the evaluation of the project.

According to him, it is unreasonable to construct an LNG terminal for liquefied gas.

The Communist Party leader expressed confidence that Ukraine’s joining the Customs Union would help it solve the gas problem.

“We should be attentive to cooperation with Russia in the gas sector and other fields. Today we urgently need to make decision on joining the Customs Union. We should understand where there is the way to solving the current problems,” said Symonenko.

As reported, a production sharing agreement between Shell and Nadra Yuzovska on shale gas production on the Yuzovske deposit in Kharkiv and Donetsk regions was signed with the participation of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in Davos on January 24, 2013.