Romania Economy Ministry: Both Bulgaria and Romania may join South Stream project. Talks with Russia remain open

Bulgaria’s decision to join the South Stream pipeline project does not influence a possible inclusion of Romania in the project, Romanian Economy Ministry state secretary Tudor Serban has told HotNews.ro. He says that misunderstandings may come up because of quantities of natural gas that would be carried from one country to another but not on the route of the pipeline. „The dispute may be on quantities of gas, not on pipelines”, he said.

He said pieces of information reported by the media lately are part of a political game. „What comes up in the media is a political game. They keep talking that should Bulgaria exit the project, Romania would come in or should Bulgaria get in, Romania would be out. No matter that Bulgaria agreed to join the South Stream project, the situation remains unchanged for Romania. Talks will go on with the Russian part”, Tudor Serban said.

He said talks between Romania and Gazprom „remain open” with the efficiency of Romania’s contribution to the project due to be analysed. Gazprom head Alexei Miller is due to visit Romania this autumn, when a decision might be made.

Miller was recently quoted by Itar Tass recently as saying that a feasibility study on the inclusion of Romania and Macedonia in the South Stream project would be concluded within two-three months.

And Aleksandr Medvedev was quoted by Itar Tass in late June as saying that the potential inclusion of Romania in the project would not mean dropping the option of building the pipeline on Bulgaria territory.

Romania Economy minister Adriean Videanu met Alexei Miller in Moscow in June. Videanu said Romania would submit all the relevant data for the feasibility study to the Russian part, with talks due to continue in autumn.