Georgia Today: Nabucco Revived – Trans Anatolian Pipeline to Test Russian Resolve

Predictions made by Gazprom authorities about the demise of the Nabucco pipeline appear to have been inaccurate. Last week in Kars, Turkey, presidents of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey informed the world about the rebirth of this pipeline under a new name, TANAP. The Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) will be a continuation of the South Caucasian pipeline. It will start from the Georgia-Turkey border and will reach the Turkey-Bulgaria border. TANAP will join the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) on the western border of Turkey. From there, TAP will cross Greece and Albania up until the Adriatic Sea. Then the pipeline will continue underwater to Italy and join the gas transportation network of Italy.

Years ago, Russia tried to kill of the possible competition of Nabucco with what was known as the ‘Southern Flow’. The ‘Southern Flow’ was a success in its initial stage. This is probably why the general manager of Gazprom Alexei Miller was pleased to advise President Putin of the supposedly imminent death of the Nabucco project. The Kremlin initiated a Ukrainian blitzkrieg shortly after the perceived energy triumph, bringing financial paralysis of not only gas but also the entire Russian economy. But now the Russian silence is deafening as Nabucco’s revival appears to be taking place.

Comments in the Russian media about TANAP bypassing the market where the ‘Southern Flow’ should have passed, is a confirmation of the tough financial situation in which the Kremlin finds itself after the European sanctions. Otherwise, it would be difficult to imagine President Putin taking the energy developments so calmly. Until now, gas has remained the most effective weapon in the arsenal of the Kremlin. This is probably what the President of Georgia wanted to highlight at the opening ceremony of TANAP when he recalled the Russia-Georgia war of 2008 for presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan to hear. “Despite the difficulties, violated territories and occupation, we are doing our best not to allow any problem to hinder the transport and energy corridor crossing Georgia as the well-being of not only Georgia but our friend and partner Azerbaijan and Turkey depends on it. We managed to defend the corridor in 2008 and fulfilled the obligations. Georgia is a gateway of Europe and Asia and has been playing this role for centuries,” Giorgi Margvelashvili said.

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