“The Russian side is ready to continue the constructive dialogue on building the South Stream gas pipeline with all countries involved, including Bulgaria,” said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Sofia on Monday. He is paying an official visit to Bulgaria on the occasion of the 135^th anniversary since the establishment of Bulgarian-Russian diplomatic relations, marked with the validation of a postal stamp collectors’ edition. South Stream was at the focus of the talks the Russian Foreign Minister had with his Bulgarian counterpart Kristian Vigenin, with Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski and President Rossen Plevneliev.

The gas pipeline project has an annual capacity of 63 billion cubic meters. The 900-km.-long pipe is to start at Anapa, pass along the Black Sea bed to reach Varna on the Bulgarian coast and from there, deliver gas to the countries of South and Central Europe. In the Balkans, it branches out to reach Southern Italy via Greece and the Ionian Sea, and Northern Italy, via Serbia, Hungary and Slovenia, forking out to Austria. The aim is to diversify natural gas export routes and prevent transiting risks. A month ago, the Bulgarian government froze work on the section that runs across Bulgarian territory, after the European Commission threatened to launch an infringement procedure against the country for violation of European rules on the third energy package. In the words of Russia’s top diplomat, the problem can be solved on a mutually-advantageous basis. Answering a reporter’s question, Sergey Lavrov stated:

“I wouldn’t want our European and Bulgarian friends to be left with the impression that the solution to any problem should depend on the concessions Russia is willing to make. The contracts with the countries involved in the South Stream project, including Bulgaria, were concluded long ago, before the EU’s third energy package came into effect. Our position is abundantly clear: We respect the third energy package in view of the fact that the EU and the member countries have every right to set down any rules of cooperation in any sphere on their territory. But these rules cannot be applied retrospectively. That is an underlying principle of international law,” Sergey Lavrov said.

He called on the European Commission to resume negotiations on the project, as it is important to the energy security of the whole of Europe. As he put it, the European Commission can make an exception to EU rules for South Stream with regard to access for third countries, as it did with the Trans Adriatic pipeline. In Lavrov’s words, Bulgaria now has a law that treats the sea section of the pipeline as extra-territorial. “We are relying on the European Commission to demonstrate a prudent approach and, in this instance, to apply a unified standard to this project as well. Everything complies with the rules, as long as the situation is not politicized,” he said.

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin reiterated Bulgaria’s position on the construction of South Stream, but, following European rules:

“The South Stream project is of interest to Bulgaria, to the region of Southeast Europe and the whole of the EU. It is important to the energy security of Bulgaria, of Southeast Europe and of Europe. We support its implementation, in accordance with European legislation and norms. We are hoping that the active dialogue with the European Commission will afford an opportunity to resume its construction on Bulgarian territory as soon as possible.”

This was the position that was, on the whole, formulated also by the Bulgarian Prime Minister and the President during their meetings with Sergey Lavrov. PM Oresharski is optimistic that the European Commission will accept this country’s reasons for wanting the project to be implemented according to European rules. Whereas President Plevneliev noted that no one stands to gain from any lines of division across Europe and stressed: “Bulgaria will continue to support the projects that enhance energy security and diversification, but it is important for South Stream to comply with European legislation.”

Sergey Lavrov’s meetings focused on one more burning issue – Ukraine. Bulgaria supports the territorial integrity of the country and expects Russia to play a key role in deescalating tensions and normalizing the situation, Minister Kristian Vigenin said. On his part, his Russian counterpart stressed that an immediate end to hostilities in Ukraine is in the interest of all countries.

Other items on the agenda of the Russian Foreign Minister’s talks in Bulgaria included cooperation in trade, culture, education and science. Emphasis was laid on the need to balance trade between the two countries by way of inter-regional cooperation, facilitation of customs procedures and improving transport communications.

English version: Milena Daynova