Bulgaria Suspends construction of South Stream Pipeline

Bulgarian Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski issued orders on Sunday to cease all work on the South Stream as pipeline project, Interfax reported citing the Bulgarian radio station Darik Radio. Oresharski said that the decision would be in effect until the European Commission completed reviews on whether or not the project meets EU anti-monopoly norms.

European Commission official representative Antoine Colombani stated earlier that the Europen Commission had requested that Bulgaria stop work on the South Stream project until the EU determined if the project violates EU laws.

Meanwhile, the Rusisan Energy ministry stated that it had not yet received any letter from the Bulgarian side about the project being suspended, Itar-TASS reported citing the ministry.

A ministry official added that the issue of South Stream would likely be discussed during a trilateral meeting scheduled Monday in Brussels between the EU, Russia and Ukraine.

Source: Oil and Gas Information Agency , 2014.