Slovenian representatives are involved in planning the route of the South Stream pipeline project through this state claim that there is no similarity with Bulgaria where the European Commission has ordered to stop the project implementation.
“Slovenian treaty with Russia is in line with European legislation in our country. Same goes for the feasibility study of the South Stream Slovenia and investment documents”, said MarjanEberlinc, Director of the company Plinovodi “, which is the main interlocutor of Russia’s Gazprom in the project of Slovenian route of the pipeline and partner-shareholder in a joint Russian-Slovenian company South Stream Slovenia.
The European Union requires the South Stream project to be in compliance with the EU legislation by which only one supplier can use pipelines and so to be in the monopolist position at the market.
Ebrlinc said that his company, but neither Slovenia under the current conditions, when the European Commissionhas taken negotiations in its own hands, could no longer influence the course of events around South Stream, which would transport Russian natural gas by Ukraine, all the way to Italy, but all preparations continued as if the pipeline would be built.
The planning projects for setting up branch of the Lendava – Kidricevo pipeline will be completed no later than early next year and it would be included in the existing network and would enable the transport of Russian gas through Slovenia, claims Eberlinc.
Slovenia’s leading newspaper states that the South Stream project has become part of the big geopolitical game that abets the crisis in Ukraine, although there are signs that it will calm.
Slovenia, would not abet the deadlines extension for the pipeline construction because in that case Austria could take advantage of its greater influence in the EU, after Gazprom has recently signed a contract with Austrian OMV, which predicts alternative pipeline route through Austria, in that case the Slovenian part of the pipeline would become unnecessary.
“If the project takes longer than anticipated, Austria could compensate the time lag for Slovenia, which has earlierstartedthe preparatory work on the pipeline.