Focus: Sabine Berger: The South Stream project requires political negotiations
Sabine Berger, spokesperson of Guenther Oettinger, European Commissioner for Energy, in an interview for Radio Focus’s broadcast This is Bulgaria.
Host: Is it true, that the work on the South Stream gas pipeline project continues at a technical and expert level and has not been suspended or frozen?
Sabine Berger: There have been two meetings of the working group on South Stream on technical level this year. But of course we have to take the overall political situation into account when it comes to South Stream. There are currently no political negotiations.
In general allow me to add that the objective of the Working Group is to find a sound legal framework for the operation of the South Stream pipeline on EU territory which meets the applicable European legal requirements, in order to ensure legal certainty.
Host: Will the EC stop the implementation of the South Stream pipeline project because of the Ukraine crisis and Russian attacks in the eastern country regions after Crimea? If “Yes”, is it the unique reason? If “No”, should we expect that sort of step coming soon, when and why?
Sabine Berger: As mentioned before, technical exchanges on South Stream are ongoing. But there are currently no political negotiations on South Stream.
Host: According to Bulgarian Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski, the preliminary preparations for the gas pipeline project are underway and they had never been stopped. The Bulgarian minority government, in which the socialists are the leading partner, still has hope for South Stream and tries to speed it up. Also BSP MPs amended the Bulgarian Energy Act ten days ago in a way that frees the South Stream project from the control of EU legislation. Does it mean that the country do not comply with EU legislation and what will be happened to Bulgaria? May the country get sanctioned because of violating EU energy law?
Sabine Berger: The Commission is concerned about the compatibility of the amendments made to the Bulgarian Energy Law with EU legislation. Therefore Commissioner Oettinger had sent a letter to Minister Stoynev to ask for clarifications. We received a reply from Minister Stoynev. On the one hand, the answer did not reassure us that the amendments would not be finally adopted. On the other hand, the Minister said that he wants to make sure that EU law is respected. Commissioner Oettinger will meet Minister Stoynev next week and the issue will also be touched upon. Should the amendments enter into force as adopted by Parliament, we would have strong concerns as regards compliance with EU law. In this case we would need to take the necessary legal steps.