THE SLOVAK gas carrier Eustream has introduced a project of a new gas pipeline Eastring that is to be an alternative to the Russian project South Stream. It aims at interconnecting the existing gas pipelines in Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania via a new 570 kilometre pipe through which it would be possible to supply gas to the Balkans from western Europe, the TASR newswire reported on December 1.
“Economically and strategically it is the best solution for this part of Europe,” Chairman of the Board of Directors of Eustream, Tomáš Mareček, said in an interview with Reuters, as quoted by the Hospodárske noviny daily.
Estimated costs are €750 million which is a 20 times lower price than estimated expenses on the South Stream gas pipeline since it does not to have go under the sea. It would start in the eastern town of Veľké Kapušany and join the Moldavia-Romanian pipeline in Romania which supplies Bulgaria with gas, according to the daily.
The project still has just a form as an idea and has not been discussed on political level, according to Economy Ministry.
“It is the initiative of the Eustream company and so far it has not been presented to the Economy Ministry,” ministry’s spokesperson Miriam Žiaková told the Hospodárske noviny.
Source: TASR, Reuters, Hospodárske noviny
Compiled by Roman Cuprik from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
