Energy in Italy

Bulgaria's Reformist Bloc (an alliance of democratic parties) says it has obtained evidence about a secret agreement between Bulgaria and Gazprom on the South Stream project.

The agreement is believed to have been signed three days after the May 25 European elections.

Bulgarian Parliament Speaker Mihail Mikov argued Prime Minister Oresharski had been misinterpreted when speaking about South Stream.

Mikov told the Bulgarian National Radio the construction of the pipeline had not been halted. He added that Plamen Oresharski could not have stopped the project, as he does not possess the competences to do so with a private company like South Stream.

Juergen Roth, one of Germany's most renowned publicists and investigative journalists, shared with Novinite his observations on Europe's approach to South Stream.

From Financial Times

Bulgaria's prime minister has halted work on a new Russian-led pipeline that would provide a route around Ukraine for Russian gas into Europe, dealing a setback to Kremlin efforts to strengthen its hold on EU energy supplies.

Macedonian industry is not in danger of suffering from a shortage of gas as a result of the halt to construction of the South Stream pipeline in the region, experts say. 

The pipeline, set to transport Russian gas through the Black Sea to Bulgaria and then to Italy and Austria, transiting several Balkan countries, is facing difficulties.

Serbia has also started sending mixed signals about the implementation of the South Stream gas pipeline on its territory just like Bulgaria.

Serbia has to postpone the South Stream gas pipeline construction works after Bulgaria's decision to suspend work on the project, according to Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister.

In an interview for Serbian newspaper Blic, Zorana Mihajlovic specified that Serbia was to wait for the conclusion of talks between Bulgaria, Russia and the European Commission.

South Stream "looks irreversible" - Bulgarian minister

BEIJING -- Bulgaria has not given up plans to build the South Stream natural gas pipeline, Energy Minister Dragomir Stoynev was quoted as saying on Monday.

He also described the Gazprom-led project as "irreversible," Reuters reported.

Serbia "must postpone start of South Stream construction"

BELGRADE -- Bulgaria's decision to suspend work to build South Stream at the request of the European Commission means that Serbia will have "postpone the start of works."

This is according to Deputy Prime Minister Zorana Mihajlović.

Russian officials reacted to the order of Bulgaria's PM Oresharski to temporarily suspend the construction of the South Stream pipeline in Bulgaria until it complies with EU law.