Gazprom Executives Slam Bulgaria before Watching AC/DC Gig

Business » ENERGY | May 14, 2010, Friday // 20:45
Bulgaria: Gazprom Executives Slam Bulgaria before Watching AC/DC Gig Sergei Kupriyanov, Gazprom spokesperson, said there was an administrative delay in the realization of South Stream in Bulgaria. Photo by BGNES

Senior Gazprom executives criticized Bulgaria in a press briefing in Sofia on Friday over delays in the realization of the South Stream gas transit pipeline project.

Sergei Kupriyanov, Spokesperson of the Gazprom CEO, Alexei Miller, and Pavel Oderov, head coordinator of the South Stream project, announced they have arrived in the Bulgarian capital for the concert of legendary rock group AC/DC.

However, they used the chance to meet with Bulgarian energy experts to discuss South Stream and its realization.

“Bulgaria remains the only route for the pipeline and there are no ongoing talks for circumventing it,” Kupriyanov said while expressing criticism that the Bulgarian government was currently delaying the realization of the pipeline project on its territory.

“This is probably because of the condition of the energy sector in the country but we expect the setting up of a joint company between Gazprom and Bulgargaz for South Stream,” he explained.

“The negotiations for new contracts for Russian gas supplies for Bulgaria will not be conditional on Bulgaria’s participation in South Stream,” declared in turn Pavel Oderov.

During his meeting with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller in February 2010, Bulgarian Prime Minister Borisov set the negotiations for new gas supply deals as a condition for Bulgaria’s participating in South Stream. According to Oderov, such talks will run parallel and will not be connected.

“In order to realize the project as planned, the Bulgarian side has to make certain administrative and organizational steps,” Kupriyanov said.

The South Stream gas transit pipeline is a project of Gazprom, the Italian company Eni, and the French EDF, which is considered a competitor to the EU-sponsored Nabucco.

Kupriyanov and Oderov said it was not clear how South Stream and Nabucco could be united for the sections of their routes that overlap.

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Tags: Sergey Kupriyanov, Pavel Oderov, South stream, Gazprom, Alexei Miller, gas transit pipeline, pipeline, AC/DC

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