site.btaPM Borissov Asks about Mandate from Parliament for Actions vis-a-vis South Stream; Parliament Does Not Pass Statement on Project

PM Borissov Asks about Mandate from Parliament for Actions
vis-a-vis South Stream; Parliament Does Not Pass Statement on
Project


Sofia, December 3 (BTA) - Prime Minister Boyko Borissov
requested Wednesday from Parliament clear tasks which to defend
in Brussels vis-a-vis the South Stream gas pipeline project.
Parliament held a hearing of Borissov on the intentions of the
government after Russian President Vladimir Putin's statement
about cancelling the project via Bulgaria. Parliament, however,
voted down a motion of the left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party
(BSP) to discuss a draft statement on the issue moved by the
socialists.

Borissov also requested from Parliament to ask the government to

obtain the agreements on South Stream "by force". "If I am not
given the agreement by Friday, within a week after that I will
find ways to do so myself, with all powers invested in me," the
Prime Minister said, adding that this is no easy matter because
the parties invoke trade secret. Borissov promised that when he
obtains the document, he will inform Parliament what it says
about price and transit.

"I have heard things but I cannot see anything in writing
because nothing is being given to me, about how much Bulgaria
will profit from transiting the gas, as of which year. If there
are are people who know, such as Peter Chobanov [finance
minister in the Plamen Oresharski cabinet], Dragomir Stoynev
[former energy minister], let them tell me where we can see
these things and read them," Borissov asked of the MPs.

The Prime Minister stressed that the support of the Bulgarian
Parliament is important so that the project be saved. On
Thursday Borissov is scheduled to confer in Brussels with
President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker,
European Council President Donald Tusk, and President of the
European Parliament Martin Schulz. If the Bulgarian Parliament
votes a statement on South Stream on Wednesday, the document
will be presented in Brussels as well.

"I do not consider it diversification if the Russian gas
circumvents Bulgaria and comes here via Greece," Borissov said,
adding that he will insist on hearing from Greece in Brussels
whether they will be giving Bulgaria this gas, as per the third
liberalization package. The PM voiced regret that the procedures
for the construction of gas interconnectors have been slowed.

Borissov was confident that after developing its own deposits,
Bulgaria will have gas for not only its own consumption but for
export as well.

The National Assembly rejected a motion to debate a draft
statement moved by BSP-Left Bulgaria on the critical situation
with the South Stream project. The motion was voted down in a
97-20 vote with 78 abstentions. The motion was supported by the
BSP, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, the Bulgarian
Democratic Centre, Ataka and ABV. The remaining political forces
in Parliament voted against it or abstained.

The draft statement voiced concern with the intentions stated by
the Russian Federation and proposed that the Bulgarian
government, in an active dialogue with the European Union and
Russia, undertake urgent actions so as to avert termination of
the project and of the participation in it of Bulgaria and other
European countries. The draft statement also urged the European
Commission to apply the same approach and criteria as towards
Nord Stream and other similar projects.

GERB: South Stream may be built if the procedures and
regulations passed by the EU are complied with

Speaking on behalf of the parliamentary group of GERB, GERB
deputy floor leader Tsveta Karayancheva said that "GERB has
stated many times that South Stream may be built provided that
the procedures and regulations passed by the EU are complied
with".

Karayancheva recalled that GERB has always stated that the party
will be a guarantor of Bulgaria's Euro-Atlantic orientation.

BSP-Left Bulgaria: Today Bulgaria is once again faced with the
danger of being circumvented

Leader of the left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Mihail
Mikov said in Parliament that "today Bulgaria is once again
faced with the danger of being circumvented". "The Ukrainian
joy, the joy of the others must prompt us as Parliament, people
and state, to try to unite around a position which we must
defend. Because we will be delivered Russian gas, only that this
will be done by Turkey and Greece. This is inadmissible and the
generations will not forgive us," Mikov said.

The BSP leader also said that much had been done in Bulgaria for
the South
Stream to be implemented. Mikov added that the project was
supported
by the majority of the Bulgarians. In his words, in the past
year alone, two environmental assessments were issued, of the
marine and of the land section of the project, technical designs
were drawn up, a building permit was issued which was
promulgated in the "State Gazette" in the last days of the
previous Parliament. Mikov said also that a loan had been
ensured for the capitalization of the 30 per cent of financing
Bulgaria contributes with in the project.

According to Mikov, the statement that Parliament is to pass
should require from Brussels and Moscow equal and fair treatment
of Bulgaria and all countries who stand to lose from the
cancellation of the project: Slovenia, Austria, Serbia and
Hungary. "A hypocritical attitude from our big partners,
irrespective whether from the East or the West, will not be
forgiven by the Bulgarian people, neither will do they forgive
Parliament's cowardice," Mikov said.

Commenting the letter of former prime minister Plamen Oresharski
on suspension of all activities vis-a-vis the implementation of
South Stream, Mikov said that this constituted overstepping his
powers. Mikov said that about this "there was not a position of
the Council of Ministers, only a statement of the Prime
Minister". The letter showed "what pressure had been exerted on
Oresharski by [then EC president Jose] Barroso," Mikov said,
recalling that back then, in his capacity as National Assembly
Chairman, he said that the Prime Minister could not suspend
something which was not state property.

MRF: South Stream can be implemented only in compliance with the
requirements of the EU third liberalization package

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) has been saying
consistently that the South Stream project can be implemented
only in compliance with the requirements of the third
liberalization package of the EU, MRF MP Ramadan Atalai said. He
urged the Prime Minister to make his best to protect the EU
interest, Bulgaria's interests before the ones of the EU and
before the ones of Russia, so that this infrastructure energy
project could be implemented in line with the requirements and
Bulgaria would benefit from it.

Patriotic Front: South Stream is not beneficial for Bulgaria

The South Stream project is not beneficial for Bulgaria,
Patriotic Front (PF) leader Valeri Simeonov said from the
parliamentary rostrum. According to him, noone has told the
Bulgarian people what the benefits of the project for our
country would be. In the recent years, the Russian side
deliberately raised its price, as was the case with the
construction of North Stream. He said allegations about the
opening of at least 5,000 jobs are false and recalled that, in
1986, when the 300-km connection between the northern and the
southern border was constructed in 1986, 560 people worked on
the site.

Reformist Bloc suggests that Bulgaria should withdraw from South
Stream project company

Bulgaria should withdraw from the South Stream project company,
according to the Reformist Bloc (RB). At the same time the
country should re-direct the borrowed and own funds to the
construction of the gas inter-connectors, RB Co-Chair Radan
Kanev said at a news briefing in Parliament. The country should
without delay contribute to the establishment of the European
Energy Union, according to Kanev.

RB believes that the reasons behind the Russian decision to stop
the construction of South Stream via Bulgarian territory are
economic and have been prompted by Russia's inability to
implement such a comprehensive project given its current
economic standing. Kanev pointed out as second reason President
Putin's confession that this project would not be of interest
for Russia, if carried out up to European rules.

Ataka: Turkey will benefit, if South Stream is not implemented

"South Stream should be constructed. If not - this would be to
the benefit of Turkey because we will buy Russian gas with a
surcharge for Turkey," Ataka leader Volen Siderov said. The
previous prime minister agreed to stop the project after the
interference of a group of US senators. Bulgaria loses from this
policy of obedience in regards to USA and Brussels, Siderov
went on to say, adding that Bulgaria will win, if it behaves
like Hungary. According to Siderov, "Brussels should be told
that we have a bilateral contract with Russia and that we will
implement it, i.e. we will build South Stream because it is
beneficial for our country".

ABV is in favour of South Stream

ABV Deputy Floor Leader Kiril Tsochev declared that his party is
in favour of the implementation of South Stream. ABV voiced
indignation with the "unfair conduct" of their partners in the
government, who rejected a proposal for considering a
declaration on South Stream in Parliament.

ABV Co-floor Leader Rositsa Yanakieva said they will wait for
the result of the talks of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov in
Brussels before saying more categorically whether they would
keep on supporting the Government.

Tsochev described the Russian side statements for scrapping
South Stream as "unusual victory of Washington and Brussels over
Russia". Turkey has benefited and will turn into an energy
centre in the Balkans at the expense of Bulgaria due to the
irresponsible conduct of certain Bulgarian politicians in
Parliament, he commented

***

In a message addressed to the media, the ecological
organizations, For Earth - Friends of Earth Bulgaria and
Greenpeace Bulgaria hailed the Russian President's decision to
drop South Stream. They insist to undertake actions for
withdrawing the construction permit and the environmental impact
assessment as well as to cancel the sale of land (3,58 ha),
performed by the Agriculture Ministry at prices many-time lower
than the market ones. PK/ZH,TK/