Daily Sabah: Minister: Yıldız: Turkey no longer demands EU to open energy chapter

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yıldız said Turkey no longer demands the European Union to open the energy chapter. "Turkey has a more consistent, stable and rather selective energy policy and strategies. EU countries try to form their policy and strategies on their own, based on an evasive attitude," Yıldız said. Regarding the participation of Turkey in the EU's Energy Union, Yıldız said Maros Sefcovic, the vice president of the European Commission in charge of the Energy Union, adopted a very constructive perspective during the meetings in Italy, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

"We said Turkey does not have any demands for the opening of the energy chapter. Small political issues prevent the formation of an important organization, and the energy chapter is yet to be opened for some reason," Yıldız stressed, adding that Sefcovic is aware of the situation. "Turkey fulfills the EU's demands not only concerning natural gas, but also offers a solution to the natural gas problem within its member countries," Yıldız said.

The minister said the current situation is beyond the framework of agreements, and the cancellation of the Nabucco Project will bring disadvantages to North European countries. The Nabucco Project was a proposed natural gas pipeline from the Turkish-Bulgarian border to Austria, and was aimed to diversify the natural gas suppliers and routes for Europe - thus decreasing European dependence on Russian energy. The main supplier was planned to be Iraq and other potential suppliers were Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Egypt. When the Nabucco Project was cancelled, the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) project, which will carry gas from Azerbaijan to Europe via Turkey, became an alternative route for Europe to ensure supply security.

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