GAZPROM: South Stream construction going as planned

(Oleg Aksyutin)

Has the crisis in Ukraine put the construction of South Stream gas pipeline in jeopardy? This topic has been thoroughly discussed by the western press over the past few weeks. Oleg Aksyutin, a member of the Gazprom Managing Board and the director of the Juzni Tok Transport company, was staying in Novi Sad this weekend.

He attended the finals of a handball tournament in which the teams of countries along the South Stream route participated.

Oleg Aksyutin's job is to make sure pipes are laid under the Black Sea.

- I can say that the implementation of our project is going as planned. So far, we have signed agreements to lay the first branch of the gas pipeline as well as an agreement on the acquisition of pipes for both first and second branch of the gas pipeline - said Aksyutin.

- The first branch will be completed in December 2015 as originally planned - Aksyutin noted.