The energy Agency of Serbia approved the project of construction of a branch of the “Turkish stream”. This was stated by the Minister of mining and energy Alexander antic. According to him, the project is expected to start in early April. The head of the Ministry of foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic also said that Belgrade is focused on expanding the transmission infrastructure of the state. Experts note that construction of the pipeline will have a positive impact on the economy of Serbia, turning it into a transit country. At the same time, analysts believe that Bulgaria and Serbia will pressure the US and several EU countries that oppose Russian gas projects.

  • Workers employed in the construction of the pipeline “Turkish stream”
  • © turkstream.info

The authorities in Belgrade gave the green light to the construction of the Serbian branch of the pipeline “Turkish stream”. This was announced by the Minister of mining and energy of Serbia Alexander antic.

“The energy Agency of the Republic of Serbia on March 5 made a final decision and responded positively to the statement Gastrans for the implementation of the project,” he said.

The Serbian Minister also said that construction is scheduled to begin in April.

Gastrans is a Serbian-Russian company, which is responsible for the laying of branches for transportation of gas from Bulgaria to Hungary. The length of the branches will be about 470 km, it will be nearly 14 billion cubic meters of gas per year. Supply for the Serbian section of the “Turkish stream” is supposed to start until the beginning of may 2020.

In addition, the foreign Minister of Serbia Ivica Dacic noted that the expansion of transmission infrastructure is the main objective of Belgrade.

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“But for this to happen, the gas must reach Serbia, it means that will finish the project “Turkish stream”, which was once called “South stream”, said Dacic at a joint press conference with Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Yuri Borisov on the results of the 17th plenary meeting of the Russian-Serbian intergovernmental Commission.

Recall that the construction of the gas pipeline “Turkish stream” from the Krasnodar region in the European part of Turkey began in may of 2017. Total capacity of the two thread pipeline is 31.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year. While one thread is designed for Turkish consumers and the second for the countries of South-East Europe.

Earlier, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov called Bulgarian politicians opposed to the “Turkish stream,” traitors of national interests. He also said that the European Commission approved the initiative of the construction of the gas distribution in the Republic of the centre “Balkan”.

At the end of January in Bulgaria ended the auction for the right to build a gas pipeline on the territory of the country. The winner was the Bulgarian gas transmission operator system “bulgartransgas”, the project cost is estimated at €1.4 billion.

  • The Chairman of the government of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and the Prime Minister of Bulgaria Boyko Borisov during an official meeting in Sofia
  • RIA Novosti
  • © Dmitry Astakhov

“Serbia are not interested in the promises of the West”

The implementation of the project on construction of the branch of the “Turkish stream” will be a good support for Serbia’s economy, said a leading analyst of the national energy security Fund Igor Yushkov. In addition, he added that Belgrade can count on some discounts on gas supplies from Russia.

“For the Serbs, the possibilities of gas supply, because gas will go by the new branch and, accordingly, will be coming to Serbia from Bulgaria. Plus this transit revenues because Gazprom would pay Serbia for the transit of gas, while now Serbia is a transit country. At the time, because Bulgaria was missed even more profit, when he was supposed to be done “South stream”. But now also not bad money, so the Serbs both hands. Plus they will be able to negotiate with “Gazprom” on gasification of Serbia” — said the expert.

He also urged not to forget that there will be pressure from “dissatisfied” with this project, primarily the United States of America.

“We remember how they killed the “South stream”. Big pressure will be on Bulgaria, because it is first in the path of the pipeline, the Serbs, however, are constantly under pressure from the US and Brussels. But the example with Bulgaria showed that if you refuse the Russian gas, you will give nothing in return but threats remain on paper. Either you receive a reliable gas supply system and the money for transit, either with threats or gingerbread, which only promise,” said the source RT.

The Director of the national energy Institute Sergei Pravosudov also stressed that the United States did not hide its pressure on the energy project “from Russia to Europe.”

“The final point will be set when the pipeline is built and running. The resolution is good, better when it is than when it is not. However, South stream gave permission and Bulgaria, and Serbia but when it came to actual construction, it has not begun. As for the benefits for Serbia, this increase in the number of jobs, taxes,” he said in an interview with RT.