Gazprom forced the Bulgarians to give

Bulgaria agreed to build the South Stream project. Recall that one of the largest projects of the Russian concern "Gazprom" - the construction of South Stream gas pipeline. " Principal partner and co-investor - Italy. It is this state, primarily interested in cooperating with Gazprom on this project. The planned capacity of South Stream - 63 billion cubic meters of gas per year. Estimated project cost - 8.6 billion euros. It is planned that the pipeline will run under the Black Sea from Novorossiysk to the Bulgarian port of Varna. Then its two branches pass through the Balkans to Italy and Austria. It is assumed that the gas will begin to swing in 2015. Last year all the details of construction, both with investors and with national governments - transporters, ie, states, through which will pass a gas pipeline, were taken into account. In particular, agreements were reached with Bulgaria, Greece, Austria, Italy, etc. However, in 2009, in Bulgaria it is newer than the government, which has become a headache not only for our natural gas monopoly, but also, more generally, for the Russian authorities. The new Bulgarian government has put a big question the construction of South Stream, Russia's participation in the Belene nuclear power plant and pipeline project Burgas-Alexandroupolis. This month alone, in 2010 Bulgaria officially agreed to join the "South Stream". Late last week, Russia and Bulgaria signed a "road map" the development of a feasibility study (FS) project to build the Bulgarian section of South Stream gas pipeline "(South Stream). Bulgaria in the negotiations succeeded in reducing the price of Russian gas for its customers. But in limbo, there are other projects. According to the Prime Minister of Bulgaria Boyko Borisov, the government is negotiating with potential investors in the project of Belene NPP. Note that in winter this year, the head of Rosatom, Sergei Kiriyenko said Russia's willingness to provide financing for the construction of nuclear power plants up to 2 billion euros to those. Bulgaria is still silent. Apparently, the Bulgarian government to have the desire, if possible, to distance themselves from Russia. The oil pipeline Burgas-Alexandroupolis first Boyko Borissov firmly stated that his country out of the project. But then the tone of the Bulgarian authorities had changed. As a result, if we judge according to official reports, the decision is still pending. Soon, Prime Minister of Greece George Papandreou will arrive in Sofia, the Bulgarian president to persuade all the same to join the project pipeline. Recall that in 20007, Russia, Greece and Bulgaria agreed to build a nearly 300-kilometer pipeline from the Bulgarian Burgas to Alexandroupolis, Greece for the transportation of Russian oil. In essence, the goal of the projects on construction of oil and gas pipelines - to reduce Russia's dependence on such countries - transit countries like Ukraine and Belarus. From a purely economic point of view of feasibility of construction of these pipelines is debatable. But strategically, these projects are needed. It will avoid the "gas wars" banal theft of oil, tensions with European consumers, etc. For Russia and its citizens, this means greater economic and political stability.