site.btaHead of Parliamentary Energy Committee Pessimistic About Turkish Stream Project

Head of Parliamentary Energy Committee Pessimistic About Turkish Stream Project


Sofia, May 21 (BTA) - The head of the energy committee in the Bulgarian Parliament and former energy minister Delyan Dobrev said it is unrealistic to expect the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project to go ahead, especially of the same scale as the abandoned South Stream project. Dobrev was speaking to the press Thursday after a meeting of his committee.

"In respect of Turkish Stream, I am pessimistic that there will be such a project despite all declarations about commencing construction - and even less a project with a capacity of 63 billion cubic meters," said Dobrev. "Even if a pipe is built, it will be one - not four as in South Stream, and of a much smaller capacity."

Asked to comment information about headway being made with the construction of a Bulgaria-Turkish gas interconnector, Dobrev said that there has always been support on political level "but the issue has been on the agenda for five years now and we seem unable to make progress on corporate level". "The moment I see any progress between Botas and Bulgartransgaz, I will tell you that I am optimistic about the gas connection with Turkey," said the former energy minister.

At its Thursday meeting, the parliamentary energy committee adopted a framework position on a proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union concerning the establishment and operation of a market stability reserve for the Union greenhouse gas emission trading scheme. By the proposed decision, 900 million emission allowances will be back-loaded for years 2019 and 2020, not 2021 as initially planned. PK/LN/


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