Russia, transition and poland’s energy security: a retrospective view

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article asserts that debates concerning Poland’s energy security should be analysed in the context of transition politics and domestic politics. Most importantly, domestic politics reveal the corrupted environment of the 1990s and early 2000s, which allowed Polish and Russian political, commercial and private actors to engage in rent seeking activities. The collusion between the two sets of actors had a detrimental effect on the way in which the debate concerning Polish energy security has developed. Furthermore, corruption scandals that brought to the open murky dealings between the Russian oil and gas sectors and Polish political actors, have not only kept generating interest around the question of the country’s energy security but also further fuelled concerns about Russia’s real intentions.