MOSCOW, August 30 - RAPSI. Gazprom has filed a claim with the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce against the Lithuanian Energy Ministry, Gazproms press office reported. The Russian gas monopoly is seeking compensation for the legal proceedings initiated by the ministry.

The Lithuanian Energy Ministry alongside Gazprom and the German E.ON Ruhrgas International GmbH is a shareholder of the Lithuanian Lietuvos Dujos, which is engaged in gas purchase, transportation, distribution and sale in Lithuania.

The Energy Ministry appealed to the Vilnius Court on March 25 to investigate Lietuvos dujos activities and remove General Director Viktoras Valentukevicius, Valery Golubev and Kirill Seleznyov from the board of directors. The ministry claims that the board members failed to act in the best interests of Lietuvos dujos. The ministry proved its case by referring to Golubevs statement that there are no sound reasons for gas price reductions for Lithuania unlike Latvia and Estonia.

Gazprom argues that the Energy Ministrys lawsuit violates Lietuvos Dujos shareholders agreement and seeks compensation for losses.