Hurriyet Daily News: Bulgaria Likely Option for TurkStream 2nd Route

Turkey will transform from an end user to an intermediate user with the commissioning of the second line of the TurkStream natural gas project, while eliminating transit risks through Ukraine, Volkan Özdemir, head of the Ankara-based Institute for Energy Markets and Policies (EPPEN), said in an interview with Anadolu Agency, quoted by Hurriyet Daily News. 

Russia will sell gas to Europe via Turkey for the first time, which will lead to the forging of more interdependent relations between Russia and Turkey, Özdemir told Anadolu Agency, confirming the economic and political returns of this pipeline project.

"This is a very important win for Turkey," he said, adding that, "Turkey, with more than 30 years of natural gas trade with Russia, has not previously experienced such a situation."

He said Turkey is now in a position through the TurkStream project to eliminate Ukrainian transit risks at a time when tension between Russia and Ukraine is still ongoing.

"The tension between Russia and Ukraine is continuing, while the contract period between the two will end in a year's time. Any crisis in Ukraine would have serious repercussions for Turkey. However, Turkey with the TurkStream project will be protected," he asserted.
Russia, nonetheless, is also evaluating Bulgaria and Greece as routes for the project's second line, Özdemir said, and confirmed that Bulgaria is looking like the preferred route for the Russians.

He affirmed that in economic terms, the Bulgarian route seems likely. He explained that with the construction of a 100-km pipeline between Serbia and Bulgaria, a route from Bulgaria to Serbia, Hungary and to Austria is possible providing reverse flows.

Özdemir also referred to the political factors at play with the Greek...