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No danger to stumble on landmines when laying South Stream — Serbian contractor

The areas where the Serbian part of South Stream will run had already been cleared of all landmines during the preparation works in 2012-2013

BELGRADE, June 25. /ITAR-TASS/. The Russian pipeline South Stream will go only across areas of low level of landmine danger in Serbia, the local operator South Stream Serbia said in a statement late on Tuesday.

“We have found no major hazards on the way of the pipeline during our location survey. Serbian authorities cleared of mines all areas where South Stream will run during the preparation works in 2012 and 2013. Works were conducted simultaneously with integrated engineering surveys,” the company said.

Russian Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov earlier expressed concerns that there was a high risk to stumble upon a landmine when laying the pipeline.

The South Stream pipeline will carry Russian gas to the EU bypassing Ukraine. Gas will be pumped to the Bulgaria’s Black Sea port of Varna before extending overland through Serbia, Hungary, and Slovenia to supply gas to the Western Europe via Italy and Austria. The pipeline’s capacity amounts to 63 billion cubic meters.