/ world today news/ So far, there are no specific agreements between Moscow and Athens on the construction of the TurkStream gas pipeline, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a press conference after a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who was visiting Moscow.
“We, of course, talked about this at length, but at the moment it is difficult for me to say anything concrete, since this requires specific professional training at the level of commercial companies – Gazprom, relevant ministries and agencies and partners in Greece,” Putin said, quoted by “Interfax”. “You know the position of the Balkan countries, but as a result of the analysis of all technical and economic issues, it will depend whether Greece will participate in this project or not. In my opinion, this would raise the geopolitical status of Greece, it would become an important transit country both for the whole of southern Europe and for Central, and it would receive decent money for the transit – it is about hundreds of millions of euros per year”.
At the press conference, Putin stated that Greece did not ask Russia for financial aid, but mentioned Greece’s benefit from large joint projects. If major projects are implemented, including in the field of energy, things could become such that the issues of credit relations can be resolved in a broad context, the Russian president said. In his words, the revenues from such projects could go towards repaying the loans already taken by Greece: “its ability to promptly settle all its debts to creditors, to the IMF, to the EU will become more attainable”.
“Greece is interested in exploring the possibility of investment initiatives for the construction of a Greek gas pipeline from the Greek-Turkish border on Greek territory to meet the needs of Greece and ensure EU energy security, while respecting both Greek and EU rules “, Tsipras said for his part.
Before Tsipras’ visit to Moscow, the German newspaper “Spiegel” and the Russian “Kommersant” wrote that the Greek prime minister had arrived for loans, a reduction in the price of gas and for a possible lifting of the ban on the import of agricultural products into Russia.
The Russian newspaper wrote that a condition for new loans could be Russia’s receipt of assets in Greece. The “Wall Street Journal” newspaper wrote, citing sources close to the leadership of the ruling Syriza party in Greece, that Tsipras does not intend to ask Putin for financial assistance, but wants to demonstrate to his electorate an independent foreign policy.
“Gazprom”, which instead of “South Stream” decided to build a gas pipeline in Turkey and build a gas hub on its border with Greece, can extend “Turkish Stream” through Macedonia, bypassing Bulgaria and further along the previous route of “South Stream” Putin said in mid-February. However, this would only be possible if Europe does not interfere, he emphasized. However, “Gazprom” does not want to follow the norms of the EU’s Third Energy Package, and without this, coordination with the European Commission on the European section of the pipe is impossible.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán promised to support the extension of “Turkish Stream” and to hold negotiations with Serbia, Macedonia and Greece. And Putin promised Hungary a reduction in the price of gas. Deputy however, EC President Maros Šefčovič then stated that the commission would use all its tools of economic and political influence to get EU countries, including Hungary, to follow the EU’s will.
Moscow / Russia
#profit #large #energy #projects #Greece #repay #debt
