Energy in Slovenia

STRASBOURG - The European Parliament (EP) adopted at a meeting in Strasbourg Thursday a resolution urging for stepping up sanctions against Russia and cancelling contracts for the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline.

BRUSSELS- The EU will not interfere in the construction of the South Stream pipeline section through Serbia, but the pipeline will begin operating only after it has been adjusted to European legislations, the European Commission released on Wednesday.

The European Commission has called on Bulgaria to suspend the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline, warning that it may take punitive measures against Sofia and Belgrade over the matter.

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BUDAPEST - Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria, and the chambers of commerce of these countries support the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline, arguing that it will help the economic development of these countries and they therefore expect that the EU and Russia will come to an agreement concerning the project.

South Stream construction in Serbia to start in October

BUDAPEST -- Works to build the Serbian stretch of South Stream gas pipeline will start in October, Gazprom official Aleksandar Siromyatin said on Tuesday.

BUDAPEST - Construction of the Serbian stretch of South Stream gas pipeline will start in October, head of the Gazprom international projects department Alexander Siromyatin said Tuesday.

The Board of Directors of Russian energy giant Gazprom decided on September 10 to inject EUR 100 M into the capital of the South Stream Transport joint venture.

The move was reported by the press office of Gazprom, as cited by ITAR-TASS.

As of now there is no signed agreement for the transit fees from the South Stream gas pipeline, Bulgaria's caretaker deputy PM Ekaterina Zaharieva told the bTV national channel.

"No matter how much South Stream would cost, we don't know if it will be profitable, as we don't know what the benefits for us will be", she said in a bTV talk show on Friday. 

Gazprom expects to get the approval of the new Bulgarian government for the construction of the local section of the South Stream gas pipeline.

Alexander Siromyatin, Deputy Head of Gazprom's Project Management department, explained that the South Stream gas pipeline project had not been frozen.

Bulgaria could use the situation with the South Stream project and secure the capacity to pump its own gas through the pipeline, Austrian daily Wirtschaftsblatt argues.