Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 14
By Aygun Badalova - Trend:
The South Stream gas pipeline project, which proposed the transportation of Russian gas across the Black Sea to the EU countries, should be transformed into "Bulgarian Stream," with 100% Bulgarian ownership over the pipes, EuroActiv reported citing Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.
Speaking in the Bulgarian parliament Borissov said that the "Balkan" hub near the Black sea port of Varna could be supplied by two offshore pipes from Russia with the capacity of 10 billion cubic metres of gas per year each, plus gas from Azerbaijan and from local fields in Bulgaria and Romania.
"It will be Bulgarian Stream, if the Russian side agrees to sell its gas at our border, they are welcome. And we will abide by the Third Energy Package and the sanctions of the European Commission," he said.
The prime minister also said that the options for the supply of Bulgaria with Russian gas would be discussed on 27-28 January in Sofia, at a session of the Bulgarian-Russian intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation.
Earlier in an interview to Deutsche Welle, Borisov said that the country is keen to become main gas transit country for South Eastern and Central Europe, and this could be possible by construction of Balkan gas hub.
In December, 2015, Bulgaria and the European Commission agreed to establish a joint working group to support the development of a gas hub in Bulgaria designed to serve the whole Balkan region.
It will focus on creating a "stable regulatory framework and business environment to facilitate the connection between Bulgaria and the rest of southeast Europe," the Bulgarian cabinet said in a statement.
Currently Turkey and Bulgaria plan to construct a connecting pipeline for importing Azerbaijani gas to Bulgaria.
Earlier Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece have decided to construct an interconnector that alongside with the 'Balkan' gas hub will facilitate diversification and transportation of natural gas in any direction.