Romania to liberalize gas market for small and medium enterprises on January 1

The gas market for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will be liberalized starting January 1, 2015. The European Commission has denied extending the liberalization process of gas prices for SMEs, said Minister Delegate for Energy Razvan Nicolescu. SMEs could buy more expensive this gas year, due to imports, as gas consumption in Romania exceeds internal production, Nicolescu fears. Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) president Niculae Havrilet said on the other hand that he does not see significant increases in the gas prices for SMEs, according tho Hotnews.ro. Bogdan Chiritoiu, the president of the Competition Council said that the Government can block gas prices for six months, if there is an imbalance between demand and offer. editor@romania-insider.com