Bulgaria, Slovakia to Demand Equal EU Treatment of Pipeline Projects

Sofia and Bratislava will push for Nord Stream II and South Stream gas pipeline projects to be put on an equal footing by the EU Commission, Bulgarian Deputy PM Meglena Kuneva has said.

The Bulgarian National Radio quotes her as saying an EU Summit scheduled for December is have gas pipeline projects as part of its agenda.

"All of these things [gas infrastructure] will be studied at the [EU] Summit. The Energy Union is part of this summit, thanks also to the insistence of Bulgaria," according to Kuneva.

The South Stream gas pipeline project was designed to carry Russian gas going across the Black Sea bed, and then via Bulgaria and Serbia, to Central Europe. Plans to build the pipeline, however, were abandoned by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who cited Bulgaria's decision not to issue construction permits for the offshore section.

This comes at a time when plans to build Nord Stream II are reconfirmed by major stakeholders, but also at a time Slovakia is pinning hopes (and has been promised) EU support for the Eastring project.