Russia Tones Down South Stream Tirade against Bulgaria

Business » ENERGY | June 23, 2010, Wednesday // 12:32
Bulgaria: Russia Tones Down South Stream Tirade against Bulgaria Up to now, Bulgaria has been a key country in the realization of the South Stream pipeline that must deliver Russian gas to Europe. Photo by wordpress.com

Russia has softened its threats to change the course of the South Stream gas pipeline project to exclude Bulgaria, saying that the country and its northern neighbor Romania can be equal partners.

"The potential inclusion of Romania into the South Stream project does not mean giving up immediately the version where the pipe goes through Bulgarian territory," Gazprom vice-president Aleksandr Medvedev declared, as quoted by ITAR-TASS.

"It is possible that Romania joins the South Stream project, but this does not necessarily mean Bugaria is out", he said, adding that it is very important for Romania and Russia to assess the economic feasibility of the project.

The statement comes a day after the president of gas monopoly Gazprom Alexei Miller indicated that South Stream might change course to exclude Bulgaria, which, according to him, has disappointed Russia by dragging its feet on other energy projects, such as the construction of an oil pipeline and a nuclear power reactor.

The current plan is to lay the pipeline to Serbia — and on to other southern European customers — through Bulgaria. Gazprom and partners will complete the feasibility study in three months at most, Miller said, adding that Romania was also offering broader cooperation in the energy field.

Gazprom estimates South Stream will cost at least billion to build and come on line in December 2015.

Recent statements by Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov that his country would be pulling out from two other high-profile energy projects, involving Russia – the Belene NPP and the Burgas-Alexandrupolis oil pipeline – caused confusion and dismay in Russia.

Last week’s reports have suggested that Gazprom is already technically prepared to drop Bulgaria and to pick Romania for its South Stream gas transit pipeline project.

Macedonia is also set to become part of European energy corridors and in particular join the projected South Stream pipeline that will transfer gas from Russia to Southern and Central Europe.

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Tags: South stream, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, macedonia, Gazprom, Belene, Burgas

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