Jean-Claude Yunker, chairman of the European Commission, believes that the South Stream gas pipeline could be built on the conditions, which are well known. He added that the European Union will not tolerate blackmail. Russia said earlier that it refuses to build the South Stream on the EU conditions.
European Union and Bulgaria have been working together on the South Stream project, Yunker told journalists after the meeting with Bulgarian Premier Boiko Borisov. He added that EU will help Bulgaria to solve its geopolitical problems, reported Novinte. Yunker said that all unsolved issues could be solved and the pipeline could be built. “The goal is on the Russian side,” politician said.
Borisov also said that fate of the project depends on Russia. Interfax quoted Borisov as saying that Bulgaria is ready to continue the South Stream construction, if it corresponds to the EU Third Energy Package. He added that Bulgaria has not received an official notification about closure of the project from Russia.
The meeting between the Energy Ministers of the countries, through which the gas pipeline had to be built, is scheduled for December 9. These countries include Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, Serbia, Slovenia and Croatia. Borisov expressed hope that the issues of correspondence of the project to the Third Energy Package will be solved at the meeting. The Third Energy Package envisages that the gas producing company cannot be the gas pipeline owner, which does not suit Russia and Gasprom.
