Greece says determined to build pipe to pump Russian gas to Europe

THESSALONIKI, Greece, Sep 12 (PRIME) -- Construction of a pipeline through Greece for supplies of Russian gas to Europe is a purely economic project and Athens is determined to implement it as soon as possible, Special Adviser to the Greek Prime Minister Dimitris Velanis told PRIME in an interview on Monday.

“We will certainly go for implementation of the project. And Europe knows it,” he said.

The project was discussed on September 10 at a meeting between Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

“Europe is being ensured with billions of cubic meters of Russian gas. How can it ban some country to pass over 10 billion (cubic meters) to neighboring countries? This is not clear. Europe purchased 160 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia last year. That’s why we believe that we will find a common language with the European Commission, commissions and Europe,” Velanis said.

Europe can’t have energy security without Russia, he said.

Velanis also said that Greece would support the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline project in case it is resumed.

In 2007, Russia, Bulgaria, and Greece signed an agreement to build the 285-kilometer pipeline to transport Russian oil from the Bulgarian port of Burgas on the Black Sea to the Greek port of Alexandroupolis bypassing the congested waterways of the Bosphorus and Dardanelle straits.

In 2012, Bulgaria quit the project, saying that it was not economically reasonable. Russian oil pipeline monopoly Transneft said then that the project is frozen, but the sides may return to it in the future.

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