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South Stream gas pipeline

Decision to stop South Stream project final — Russian energy minister

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on December 1 that the project to build the South Stream gas pipeline is closed due to the European Union’s unconstructive approach

© EPA/KOCA SULEJMANOVIC

MOSCOW, December 4. /TASS/. Russia’s decision to stop the South Stream gas project is final, Energy Minister Alexey Novak said on Thursday.

“In my view, the decision is final. Today we’re working on the construction of the pipeline by another route,” Novak said.

The pipeline will run to Turkey in compliance with the agreements reached by the presidents of both countries, he said.

Russia halts South Stream project

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on December 1 that the project to build the South Stream gas pipeline is closed due to the European Union’s unconstructive approach to cooperation in that sphere.

At the news conference on December 1, the Russian leader said: “Taking into account the European Commission’s position, which is not conducive to implementing this (South Stream) project, taking into account the fact that we have only recently received permission from relevant authorities in the Netherlands — granted, it was a positive decision, and taking into account that we still have not received permission from Bulgaria, we feel Russia cannot continue implementing this project under the existing circumstances.”

“I mean that we now need to start the construction of this pipeline in the Black Sea, but we cannot do that until we have Bulgaria’s permission. I think it’s clear to everyone that it would be ridiculous to start the construction in the sea, reach the Bulgarian shore and stop. So we are forced to reconsider our participation in this project,” Putin said.

South Stream gas pipeline

South Stream is Gazprom’s global infrastructural project of a gas pipeline system with a capacity of 63 billion cubic meters across the Black Sea stretching from Russia to countries of the Southern and Central Europe, including Hungary, Serbia, Slovenia and Austria.

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South Stream Alexander Novak

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