Bulgaria can negotiate with
Russia and the
EU for the laying
of one of the pipelines of
Turkish Stream through its territory, said
Russian expert Konstantin
Simonov, head of the Fund for National and
Energy Security.
According to
Simonov, the situation at present resembles the crisis
in the winter of 2009 when Bulgaria stopped receiving
gas from
Russiathrough Ukraine. The pipeline to
Varna would solve this problem, said
Simonov.
"The Russian-Turkish inter-governmental agreement stipulates that
Russiais not obliged to build a second pipeline. Bulgaria has the option of making an
offer to
Russia if it wants the pipeline to reach directly its shore and
if Bulgaria wishes to become a transit
gas centre, albeit not a big one.
In order for this to take place very clear proposals must be made on this issue
by both Bulgaria, and Bulgaria and the EU. Otherwise,
Russia will
deliver
gas to
Turkey and Bulgaria will have to get it from
Turkey.”
The idea of the
gas hub Balkan to be constructed near
Varnacan be implemented via the construction of one of the pipelines of the
gaspipeline
Turkish Stream towards Bulgaria and it must run in the
direction of your border with Greece, explained the expert. The question is for
this pipeline to take on some of the
gas transit and, then, we can say
that there will be a hub there, but not a big one, rather a small one.
Russiais, theoretically speaking, ready to deliver
gas to Bulgaria and, after
that, other Balkan countries can take it and distribute it to Europe – this is
a totally realistic option.
Turkey will not re-sell Russian
gas to Europe since it is the
owner, stated Simonov.
"
Russia’s stance is that
Turkey will not re-sell
gasto Europe – same as with Ukraine. I think the
EU will agree –
Turkeyis the owner of half of the land section and, thus, it will receive its fee but
there can be no option of the re-selling of
gas by
Turkey to the
EU.”
(www.novinite.com)