Held Captive by Gas: The Price of Politics in Gazprom's Long-Term Contracts with Central European Buyers (2009 to 2014)

Description

Gas makes or breaks economies, as shown by the effects of the 2009 Ukraine/Russia gas supply crisis. Joshua Posaner looks at four case study countries in Central and Eastern Europe. He examines the interdependence between the domestic political structure of a gas import-dependent country and the price it paid for imports up to 2014, using the level of reliance on the dominant supplier as an indicator. The more dependent a country is on a single supplier, the more it pays for its supplies. The author aims to explain why capitals prioritize energy security and balance their import portfolios differently, while taking a new angle on the European gas system. He offers a timely investigation into an oft-reported subject, with Russia’s perceived “energy weapon” and themes of “energy dependence” weighing heavily on European political discourse. Front Matter ....Pages I-XVII Introduction (Joshua Posaner)....Pages 1-21 Research design (Joshua Posaner)....Pages 23-54 Energy security (Joshua Posaner)....Pages 55-96 Poland (Joshua Posaner)....Pages 97-136 Czech Republic (Joshua Posaner)....Pages 137-170 Slovakia (Joshua Posaner)....Pages 171-198 Hungary (Joshua Posaner)....Pages 199-232 Evaluation (Joshua Posaner)....Pages 233-248 Conclusion (Joshua Posaner)....Pages 249-258 Back Matter ....Pages 259-269