Greece, FYROM, Serbia, Hungary and Austria might be included into the route of the so-called "Turkish Stream" pipeline project, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak has said.
Novak explained in an interview with Rossiya-24 TV channel on Tuesday that
Moscow is leading active talks with countries where infrastructure for the gas
pipeline could be laid.
"I know there are many countries with which we have negotiated are very
interested in the construction of this infrastructure. In particular, such a
route is possible: gas deliveries from Turkey via Greece, FYROM, Serbia and
Hungary to Austria - Baumgartner," Novak announced.
In his words, part of the route could coincide with the one planned for the
abandoned South Stream project.
Turkish Stream was announced in December as a substitute to South Stream, a
pipeline designed to carry gas via Bulgaria to Central Europe which Russia
dropped in December over EU opposition and Bulgaria's reluctance to issue
construction permits. The original idea of Turkish Stream was to deliver gas to
Turkey from where European countries could also be supplied via a gas
distribution center at the border with Greece.
"Today we are carrying out active negotiations with the countries on whose
territory the infrastructure could be laid. But firstly I would like to
underline that this is a task that the European Union, the EU Commission...
must solve alone," RIA Novosti agency quotes him as saying.
He added the Commission should decide "for itself" how infrastructure
should be developed "so that Europe once again is secured with gas
supplies."
