On 6 May, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Serbian counterpart Ivica Dacic said their countries were ready to build the South Stream natural gas pipeline to Europe and confirmed that Moscow and Belgrade had a common view on the Ukrainian crisis.
“The talks confirmed the mutual desire to strengthen bilateral ties and press on with large-scale bilateral projects in the trade, economic and investment spheres, including the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on its webpage, following the meeting between Lavrov and Dacic on the sidelines of the Council of Europe’s Ministers Committee.
“We were pleased to note a certain proximity and even coincidence of … viewpoints that Moscow and Belgrade share with regard to the key issues on the European and global agenda. Particular attention was paid to the situation in the Balkans and in Ukraine,” the statement added. Russia annually pumps about 100 billion cubic metres of gas to European countries via Ukraine, which makes up 80% of its total gas supplies to Europe. The €15.5-billion South Stream pipeline is designed to cut Russia’s dependence on the Ukrainian transit system.
Meanwhile, Serbia’s President Tomislav Nikolic said he was interested in intensifying work on South Stream. “This is a project which should ensure Serbia’s long-term energy security and enable substantial progress in the national economy,” Nikolic said on 6 May at a meeting with the speaker of Russia’s State Duma Sergei Naryshkin, who was on a two-day visit to Serbia. Nikolic and Naryshkin “expressed satisfaction with the level of co-operation between Serbia and Russia, particularly with respect to joint economic projects,” the Serbian president’s press service said.
“Russia has a correct understanding of Serbia’s position on the Ukraine crisis,” Nikolic said. Russia also understood Serbia’s willingness to become an EU member, since the 28-country bloc was the most significant trade partner for Russia as well, the press service quoted Naryshkin as saying.
Russian gas monopoly Gazprom said it would announce the final South Stream route in summer. Gazprom is considering three routes for the project: through Bulgaria to Serbia, Hungary and Austria; through Bulgaria to Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia, Austria and Italy; or through Bulgaria and Greece to the south of Italy, according to RIA Novosti.
Two weeks ago, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak claimed that there was a certain restraint on the part of European Commission against the construction of South Stream.