The construction of the Serbian section of the TurkStream gas pipeline is proceeding as scheduled and will be completed by the end of the year, Serbian Ambassador to Russia Miroslav Lazanski confirmed in an interview with Sputnik
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th October, 2019) The construction of the Serbian section of the TurkStream gas pipeline is proceeding as scheduled and will be completed by the end of the year, Serbian Ambassador to Russia Miroslav Lazanski confirmed in an interview with Sputnik.
The 249-mile long Serbian portion of the pipeline will stretch from the Serbian-Bulgarian to the Serbian-Hungarian border. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic pledged earlier in October that it would be completed on time.
"As for the pipelines, the construction is being completed and is expected to be finished by the end of the year ... The gas pipelines have been partially installed, starting from the Bulgarian border. Everything is fine, work is underway," Lazanski said.
He recalled a recent delay in pipeline infrastructure construction in Bulgaria, emphasizing that it had not affected Serbia's work.
"I believe one company has had a complaint about the bidding process, but Bulgaria's Supreme Court has ruled to continue TurkStream construction. Anyway, during this delay by the Bulgarian side, we conducted active operations at our section," Lazanski noted.
Serbia needs receiving Russian gas via the TurkStream due to uncertainty with gas transit through Ukraine, Lazanski explained.
"As for the gas, it should be emphasized that Serbian industry uses Russian gas chiefly. Gas pipelines passing through Ukraine certainly remain an unresolved matter. This is why we are forced to rely upon gas pipelines passing through Turkey and Bulgaria, the TurkStream. This is our key focus," Lazanski said.
The diplomat voiced the belief that Russia would extend it gas contract with Ukraine, expiring in the end of 2019.
According to Lazanski, Russian gas is the best option for his country, given the expensiveness of US energy.
"If we look at US shale gas and oil, this is too expensive for us. Moreover, we don't have the necessary gas transport infrastructure. Russian gas is the best option for Serbia and not only for Serbia," Lazanski emphasized.
He went on to say that securing Russian gas deliveries was a matter of strategic importance for Belgrade.
TurkStream is a 570-mile twin pipeline that will run through the Black Sea from Russia to Turkey and is expected to carry 1.1 trillion cubic feet annually. It consists of two pipelines, one for supplying gas to Turkey and the other to European countries bypassing potentially unreliable transit partners.
