Russian "Gazprom" starts construction of capital gas pipeline through Serbia in 12 months

The representatives of the world gas giant, Russian company "Gazprom", the Prime Minister of Serbia, Vojislav Koštunica, and general manager of public company "Srbijagas", Miloš Tomić, should sign the Memorandum of Understanding in few days about 800m USD worth of construction of gas pipeline 400 km long, from the border with Bulgaria near Dimitrovgrad to Croatian border.

The Memorandum is, according to the words of Tomić, the confirmation of intention of Russian company to construct gas pipeline through Serbia, as well as our country to do whatever it takes to make that true.

The gas pipeline worth about 800m USD would have annual flow of 20 billion cubic meters of gas and it is part of project "Blue stream", which should bring gas from Russia, through the Caspian Sea, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia to Western Europe. Russia is more than interested in its construction and, therefore, the first works should be expected in 9-12 months.

Project "Blue stream" is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, in the gas sector in the world and, if it goes through Serbia, it will be the most important event in the energy sector of our country in the last hundred years.

With this gas pipeline, Serbia would obtain cheaper transportation of gas, for which it now pays about 50m CSD per year to the Hungarians, safer supply, as well as geo-strategic importance, because the supply of the surrounding countries would depend on us.