BBN: The amended plan for the South Stream section through Serbia to be completed this month

The amended plan for the South Stream section through Serbia will have been adopted by the end of September and the construction of the gas line could start by the end of this year. The total length of the line through Serbia will be 422.4 km. The line will be passing through 33 towns and municipalities. 

The South Stream will be entering Serbia from Bulgaria, near Zaječar and will be leaving it near Sombor, i.e. Bački breg, on the border with Hungary. The amendments to the plan also include the line towards the Republic of Srpska, 107km long, and the line towards Croatia, 50km long. The process of expropriation of land for construction lots will start soon and 1,000 contracts have been concluded with the owners so far. 80 ha, or 0.2% of land, has been envisaged for permanent expropriation, while the use of the most of the land will be limited.

The gas line will be mainly passing across agricultural land and partly through forest areas, whereas areas rich in natural resources have been mostly evaded. Some fifty facilities in the gas line protection zone are to be torn down. The most complicated process is expected along the first 150km from the Bulgarian border as the gas line there is to pass through the mountainous area. No south line has been included in the amendments, but there is an initiative for a direction towards Montenegro, Kosmet and Macedonia. If the Serbian government decides to build that line, the deadlines and method of work on a plan for the new section will be known in due course.  MORE