"Ask EU for compensation," Russian ambassador advises

"Ask EU for compensation," Russian ambassador advises

BELGRADE -- Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Chepurin on Wednesday blamed the European Union for the scrapping of the South Stream pipeline.

Chepurin wondered why Russia was now being blamed, "when it only stated the factual situation."

"The west and Brussels undermined South Stream. What's the nervousness about now, and why is the blame shifted to Russia," he asked, and added:

"As the Russian gas giant Gazprom was making an increasing number of concessions, more and more conditions were being put before it concerning South Stream."

"Russia was constantly placed in a situation to ask and beg, but also to pay and beg," said Chepurin, stressing that "the rules were constantly changing against Gazprom, and to their advantage."

The Russian diplomat explained that the deadline to start construction works on the pipeline was in early November, and that Bulgaria was supposed to announce its decision by December 1.

"Russia patiently waited, and October, November, and also December 1 passed, while approval did not arrive from Bulgaria. I don't know if Bulgaria made the decision independently, if Brussels made the decision, or somebody outside of Brussels," Chepurin said.

Asked if Russia would "now agree to a revision of the Inter-State Energy Agreement between Serbia and Russia," the ambassador said his country will fulfill all its obligations from the deal.

"We should not be drawn into fabricated speculation and attempts at cheap propaganda, aimed only at damaging Serbia," he added, and noted that his country did not have a tradition of compromising others and working at the expense of others.

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