European Union approves project of European gas pipeline without Russia

The EU Commissioner for Energy Andris Piebalgs, as well as the ministers of energy of Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey approved the construction of the gas pipeline Nabucco, connecting the Mediterranean countries with the Central Europe without Russia’s participation, according to AFX Agency. While signing the agreement, Piebalgs reiterated the importance of gas supplies for the EU economy. Nabucco Gas pipeline construction aims at reduction of the dependence of Russian gas, according to Financial Times. The length of Nabucco pipeline is of about 3,300 kilometers. Up to 31 billion cubic meters of gas will be transported annually. It is supposed that in Turkey the gas will be supplied from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan and, possible, Russia. The total cost of gas pipeline construction is of EUR 4.6 bn. A consortium led by OMV Austria subdivision will perform the works. Companies of the countries crossed by Nabucco – „Transgaz” of Romania, „MOL” of Hungary, „Bulgargaz” of Bulgaria and „Botas” of Turkey will take part as well. At the meeting between Andris Piebalgs and RM president Vladimir Voronin, during his recent visit in Brussels, Belgium, they have discussed aspects of the energy cooperation between RM and EU, contributing to development of energy sector of Moldova, to create energy alternatives, strengthening the energy security, as well as RM adhesion perspective as member to the South-Eastern Europe Energy Community Treaty. According to Piebalgs, the European Commission is interested to provide assistance to Moldova for continuing the reform of the energy sector, including by delegating a group of experts for formulating some recommendations in this sense. It has to be mentioned that today, a mission of the Office of the European Parliament Delegation within EU-RM Parliamentary Cooperation Committee (CCP) is visiting Chisinau, on its agenda being included among the others the item on „Gazprom” use by Russia as political weapon to put pressure on Moldovan government. As result of the negotiations held on 22 June, in Moscow, with the administration of the Russian Company „Gazprom”, on the gas price, Prime Minister Vasile Tralev noted, „as long as we do not find alternative energy sources, we will be forced to comply with the prices imposed by „Gazprom”. The Russian company will take the final decision, on July 1, when it has to decide whether to accept or not the participation in investment projects of the energy field, proposed by the Government from Chisinau.