"The current leak of information is still only the media explosion, nothing more. But it can be a detonator for a powerful corruption scandal in the corridors of the European Commission in Brussels, and it is possible even in the German government circles, although less likely," he said.
According to the expert, investigating the topic of Russian gas corruption in Europe, information about the lobbying plot and concealment by Brussels of Gazprom's wrongdoings, which was published by the newspaper The Telegraph, did not become a surprise for him. He noted that the investigation into Gazprom had been conducted since 2011 by the previous composition of the Directorate General for Competition of the European Commission, but after the appointment of a new European Commissioner, it was put on the brakes.
"The investigation was completed at the time of the former European Commissioner for Competition Joaquin Almuniaat the end of 2013, and in early 2014 there should already be a final decision, and Gazprom was waiting for penalties. The sums were called different - 2, 6, 10 billion dollars, which amounted to 10% of annual revenue of Gazprom. Despite the fact that everything was done and prepared, the new composition of the European Commission, in particular the Directorate for Competition, in my opinion, took an opposite position and began to revise the work done by the predecessors," the president of the Centre forGlobal Studies said.
He pointed to the fact that in December 2013, Gazprom opened a Brussels office, although it had previously stated by its managers that it was not needed for them and they preferred bilateral contacts with the member states, but with the European Commission "there is nothing to speak about". "But then it turned out that the themes for conversations appeared. And I think that "Gazprom's ATM" has been working in the office all the time in a rather powerful regime," Gonchar said.
According to him, if this leakage of information would have not occurred, then at the end of this month, the case would be completely closed "due to many years delay not only by the current European Commissioner for Competition, Margaret Vestager, but through the pro-Russian lobby, the German influential groups."
At the moment, the expert believes, the European Parliament should intervene in the situation as well. In addition,Americans and the British pay a lot of attention to "the topics of gas cooperation between Russia and Germany, and in general, Russia's actions in Europe. "Poland, which suffered from Gazprom's actions, is also interested in activating the case.
In view of this, Mr. Gonchar suggests that there is still a possibility of "more information to be appeared - both in the context of this investigation into Gazprom, not logically completed, and in the context of other issues, in particular Russia's gas corruption in Europe."
"I think that the next object of careful attention from both Brussels, Washingtonand London will be the Swiss Canton of Zug, where the offices of strategic projects of Gazprom in Europe, in particular the Nord Stream -1, and the Nord Stream- 2 " are located. There is much work there, because the scheme of such an elegantcorruption by Gazprom of the political elite of the leading European countries is being implemented through these offices," he said.
