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Serbia urges not to politicize Turkish Stream pipeline construction

Serbia has not received "any serious proposals" regarding possible ways of financing the extension of the Turkish Stream on shore in Europe, the energy minister said

BELGRADE, May 28. /TASS /. Serbia urges not to politicize the construction of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline, Serbia’s Energy Minister Aleksandar Antic told reporters on Thursday.

He added that "Serbia has not received any serious proposals regarding possible ways of financing the extension of the Turkish Stream on shore in Europe."

Antic said Serbia is ready to participate in all the projects that meet the requirements of the "Third Energy Package".

According to him, Serbia is interested in the diversification of gas supply routes.

"Serbia wants to have more sources of gas supply, as well as any country in Europe and in the world," the minister said.

However, Antic said that the interconnector /a connecting pipeline - TASS/ between Serbia and Bulgaria remains a top priority for the country. Serbia hopes to start the construction of this gas route next year, he said.

He said that the priority of the country is to ensure its energy security, both in term of energy sources and supply routes.

Earlier Russian gas giant Gazprom said it was ready to finance the construction of the onshore section of the South Stream, which would also stretch across Serbia.

In early May, Gazprom ordered the contractor to start the construction of the Turkish stream gas pipeline. The contractor had been waiting for this order since 1 December 2014, when Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would abandon the South Stream project and start building the Turkish Stream.

The larger part of the Turkish Stream pipe will run across the Black Sea and coincide with the South Stream route approved earlier.

The Turkish Stream will have an annual capacity of 63 billion cubic meters, of which 47 billion cubic meters will be delivered to a new gas hub on the Turkish-Greek border. Gazprom Russkaya Company will be in charge of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline construction.

Gazprom’s head Alexei Miller said the Turkish stream will be put into operation in December 2016.