Gazprom Signs Deal with Hungary for South Stream

Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary, signed a contract for design and survey activities as well as spatial planning and environmental impact assessment for the Hungarian section of the South Stream pipeline. 

The parts agreed on the progress of the project, while European Commission is said to be ready to lead South Stream talks with Russia. 

EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger said on Thursday that he would visit Moscow in the next months to renegotiate deals with member states.

"We have been given a mandate by the member states to negotiate in their name with the Russian partners," Oettinger said in Brussels. 

The European Commission has suggested that Russia should proceed with making an application for an exemption to EU rules for the South Stream gas pipeline. It previously said that the bilateral agreements signed by Gazprom with Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia and Austria are in breach of EU law.