Bulgarian Energy Minister Traicho Traikov has expressed his confidence in the fact that the South Stream gas pipeline will be granted a derogation by the European Commission on third-party access requirements.
The condition is part is part of EU's so-called Third Package of energy market liberalization.
In Traikov's words, the derogation will also apply to the Nabucco gas pipeline and the gas grid interconnection projects.
According to his Wednesday media statement, cited by the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency, almost none of the current gas pipeline projects can operate in line with the requirements of a fully liberalized market, which is why these new schemes will require a deferral as regards the provision of third-party access to the gas transmission systems, Novinite.com reports.