DEPA

Private Greek industrial group Mytilineos has overtaken incumbent DEPA to become the country's biggest LNG importer this year, the first time in history that an independent company has knocked the state-owned company from the top spot, ICIS an information platform on petrochemicals and specifically on energy issues, fertilisers and other commodities said in a report.

By Haris Karanikas

The government on Thursday forced the departure of the chief executive officer of the Public Gas Corporation (DEPA), Dimitris Tzortzis.

The privatization timetable for Public Gas Corporation (DEPA) is sliding off track: The plan to break up the gas utility into a trading company and an infrastructure entity, which is essential for the privatization process, has hit a snag due to what the government considers a major issue - i.e. making the contract workers employed by the company permanent.

Greece's J&P AVAX has won the tender to build a gas pipeline between Greece and Bulgaria for 133.85 million euros ($150.46 million), project manager ICGB said on Tuesday.

Public Gas Corporation (DEPA) has sold natural gas to Bulgaria at a price 10 percent below the Bulgarian regulated rate and 16 percent below the rate offered to its major clients in Greece, thereby subsidizing industry in the neighboring country.

Greece will invite investors to submit expressions of interest for the commercial operations of its gas utility DEPA on April 8, DEPA's chief executive officer Dimitrios Tzortzis told reporters on Tuesday.

Greece's anti-money laundering authority has ordered a probe into the assets and bank accounts - both local and foreign - of all parties implicated in a scandal involving the Public Gas Corporation (DEPA) and Greek Fertilizers and Chemicals (ELFE), the latter of which is owned by disgraced businessman Lavrentis Lavrentiadis.

The Energy Ministry will table a bill in Parliament on Thursday aimed at closing all the crucial energy issues that remain open ahead of the Euro Working Group of this Friday.

The government will offer permanent jobs to 200 workers contracted to the Public Gas Corporation (DEPA) ahead of the utility's breakup and sale.

To sidestep the rule that only the civil servant hirings council (ASEP) can select DEPA staff, the Energy Ministry will make 200 staff from DEPA subsidiaries permanent.