Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Photo: EPA
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that Bulgaria has stopped the construction of the South Stream pipeline under mounting pressure coming from Brussels and Washington.
However Medvedev stated that interested member states of the EU can participate in the new Russian gas project via Turkey.
These were some of the highlights in the traditional Conversation with the Prime Minister interview that he gave to leading Russian televisions on Wednesday.
Medvedev revealed that the cancellation of South Stream was in some part related to Bulgaria's refusal to grant permission for its construction.
The Russian Prime Minister added that in this case Bulgaria had acted as an ordinary member state of the EU, subjected to the pressure of EU and US authorities.
According to him, this decision has signified that the EU is not in need of the South Stream pipeline.
At the same time, Medvedev said that EU states can participate in the new gas project between Russia and Turkey.
He stated that Russia is interested in increasing the capacity of the existing Blue Stream pipeline or creating additional capacities in the Black Sea, as well as the construction of a hub in Turkey, from where gas can be supplied to other countries.