RUSSIA-EUROPE/PIPELINE-SERBIA Sinking of Kremlin gas project leaves south-east Europe high and dry
Record ID:
863025
RUSSIA-EUROPE/PIPELINE-SERBIA Sinking of Kremlin gas project leaves south-east Europe high and dry
- Title: RUSSIA-EUROPE/PIPELINE-SERBIA Sinking of Kremlin gas project leaves south-east Europe high and dry
- Date: 2nd December 2014
- Summary: SAJKAS, SERBIA (FILE) (REUTERS) GAS PIPES FOR SOUTH STREAM PROJECT ON GROUND WORKERS BUILDING SITE FOR OPENING CEREMONY PIPES WITH PLASTIC COVER WITH SIGN READING IN RUSSIAN "Gazprom" SIGN READING IN RUSSIAN: "Gazprom" VARIOUS OF GAS PIPES ON GROUND SIGN READING IN RUSSIAN: "Trubnar metal company" VARIOUS OF GAS PIPES
- Embargoed: 17th December 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Serbia
- City:
- Country: Serbia
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVABNUHWPZ14HMUFF6K4OXAX1111
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: The European Union's diplomatic victory in forcing the Kremlin to cancel its South Stream pipeline is a blow to EU hopeful Serbia, Russia's staunch ally on the project, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday (December 2).
Brussels is yet to come up with an alternative source of secure gas supply for south-eastern Europe and Vucic said his country invested a lot of effort in the project only to fall victim to "conflict between big powers."
"Clearly, we are not to be blamed. Six years, more than six, almost seven years, the state of Serbia was investing a lot of efforts and work," Vucic said during his visit to Israel, where he met former Israeli President Shimon Peres on Wednesday.
"We believe the project was beneficial for Serbia we did not abandon it under most adverse pressures. We are paying the price of a conflict among big (powers)," he added.
Though it became politically toxic after the crisis in Ukraine, the pipeline made sense for countries such as Serbia, Bulgaria and Hungary because it offered a supply of gas that did not pass through Ukraine and so was at less risk of disruption.
Other ideas have been floated that would give south-eastern Europe those secure alternative supplies, but none are as far advanced as South Stream, leaving the countries in the region to face several years of uncertainty.
Russia said on Monday (December 1) it was scrapping South Stream. The project would have transported Russian gas under the Black Sea, making landfall in Bulgaria and then passing through Serbia and Hungary into Austria.
The pipeline fell victim to opposition from the European Commission, which forced Bulgaria to put construction work on hold. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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