Bulgaria should comply with European Union (EU) requirements for the South Stream pipeline, a leading Bulgarian expert said in an interview with Xinhua on Monday.
Chavdar Nikolov, a professor in macrofinance and international economic relations at Southwest University "Neofit Rilsky" made the remarks after Bulgarian Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski on Sunday said work on the South Stream pipeline construction were stopped following an inquiry from the European Commission (EC).
Last Tuesday, the EC opened an infringement procedure against Bulgaria, and has asked the country's authorities to halt the building of South Stream because a company "has been awarded to design, finance and operate the gas pipeline without the transparent and competitive procedure."
The intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Bulgaria provided the possibility for subcontracting part of the works to other firms, "in preference to Russian and Bulgarian bidders," the EC said.
Nikolov said the EC reaction was to be expected and that the project development and implementation of the public procurement did not comply with European requirements.
"Of course, we are interested in the construction of South Stream, and it should be a part of diversified gas supplies to Bulgaria," Nikolov said. Currently, Bulgaria relies on Russia for 96 percent of its gas needs through a single pipeline crossing Ukraine.
In order to build the South Stream on its territory, Bulgaria will need to meet all European requirements. "We cannot escape from it," Nikolov stressed.
"The South Stream will eventually be built: not so fast, not so easy, but it will be built and will supply gas," he said.
http://www.neurope.eu/article/bulgaria-should-comply-eu-requirements-south-stream-pipeline-expert