Medvedev Says Decision On TurkStream Extension To Bulgaria Not Taken Yet, Depends On Sofia

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th March, 2019) The decision to extend the TurkStream through Bulgaria has not yet been made and depends on the specific actions of the two countries' governments, since Russia needs guarantees that the European Union would not interfere with gas deliveries via the new pipeline, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview.

"The decision to extend the TurkStream pipeline across Bulgaria depends on whether Sofia can get firm guarantees that the EU will not obstruct the plans for gas supplies via the new gas pipeline," Medvedev told the Bulgarian newspaper Trud.

The new line should not suffer the fate of South Stream, he stressed, adding that Russia sees that Bulgaria is interested in the project.

"We are already seeing progress in Bulgaria. Bulgartransgaz has recently completed the open season procedure - the collection of binding bids to reserve future gas transmission capacities. Also, Bulgartransgaz has made the final investment decision on the project to develop and expand its gas transmission system. The road to beginning construction work is all clear," the head of the Russian government said.

The pipeline project is beneficial for all sides, Medvedev noted.

"We are confident that cooperation on natural gas meets the interests of our economies - not only the Russian and Bulgarian economies, but the overall European economy, too," he said.

Moscow believes that the construction of another gas corridor will further enhance energy security in Europe, he stressed.

"With the current policy of liberalising the gas market, it will be possible to use the existing infrastructure more flexibly depending on obligations, market conditions, transportation costs and other market factors," Medvedev explained.

The option to extend the second branch of the TurkStream to Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary is currently being worked out, the prime minister added.

"Which extension option for TurkStream is ultimately chosen will largely depend on the availability of gas transport infrastructure. That, in turn, depends on the involvement and concrete actions of the governments in the respective countries," he said.

The TurkStream pipeline will have two legs, each with the capacity to deliver 15.7 billion cubic meters (554 billion cubic feet) of gas per year. The first leg is set to bring gas across the Black Sea directly to Turkey, while the other one will run across the country to its western border, transporting natural gas to states in southern and southeastern Europe. The pipeline is expected to be launched by the end of 2019.

Several EU countries said they wanted to be part of the project. Gazprom is considering options for continuing the TurkStream either through Bulgaria and Serbia, or through Greece and Italy.

In 2014, Russia halted the implementation of the South Stream pipeline, which was intended to traverse the Black Sea to deliver Russian natural gas through Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary and Slovenia to Italy and Austria to bypass the territory of Ukraine. Moscow gave up the project as the European Commission opposed it over alleged breaches of EU energy legislation.