MOSCOW, July 5 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's lower house of parliament passed a bill in the second and third readings Wednesday making energy giant Gazprom the country's only exporter of natural gas.
The bill gives the exclusive right to export gas to Gazprom, the owner of the country's pipeline network, Unified Gas Supply System, or a wholly owned subsidiary.
With 226 votes necessary to pass the bill, which covers gas produced at all hydrocarbon deposits and transported in gaseous or liquefied state, 355 votes were cast for it and 64 against.
The draft law was submitted to the State Duma by a group of deputies representing all five parliamentary factions.
