BELGRADE, May 05. /ITAR-TASS/. Serbia has reaffirmed the priority of the South Stream gas pipeline project, State Duma First Deputy Speaker Ivan Melnikov said after talks with Serbian parliament Speaker Maja Gojkovic on Monday, May 5.

“Serbia has adopted a government decision that the South Stream project is a priority,” Melnikov said referring to Gojkovic’s statement. “This is a very important project and nothing can cause Serbia to waive its implementation.”

South Stream will be built across the Black Sea to South and Central European countries to diversify gas supplies to Europe and reduce the dependence on transit countries.

To build the onshore sections of the pipeline, Gazprom has signed agreements with Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, and Austria.