Russia, Slovenia Need to Continue Energy Dialogue – Medvedev

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that Slovenia showed great interest in the past in the South Stream gas pipeline before it was forced to be blocked because of the European Union’s decision.

LJUBLJANA (Slovenia) (Sputnik) — Russia and Slovenia will continue dialogue in the sphere of energy and Slovenia may join the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project to deliver Russian gas to Eastern Europe, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Monday.

"Overall we believe that we need to continue energy dialogue as we’ve done much over the last few years on its development," Medvedev said at a joint press conference with Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar.

Medvedev said that Slovenia showed great interest in the past in the South Stream gas pipeline before it was forced to be blocked because of the European Union’s decision. Russia and Slovenia had already signed an intergovernmental agreement on the pipeline.

"But we’re not standing still. We believe that Slovenia, which has taken a constructive stance on this issue, may participate in other projects, including [the Turkish Stream] project as soon final agreements on its realization are reached," Medvedev added.

Cerar stated, however, that the Turkish Stream project is "still quite far in the future," and it is premature to discuss Slovenia becoming a gas transit country for the pipeline.

The Turkish Stream is a proposed pipeline that will run from Russia to Turkey across the Black Sea, from where it will extend through Greece to southern Europe. It is expected to become operational in December 2016.

The pipeline is a substitute for the South Stream project, which Moscow canceled in December 2014, over non-constructive diplomatic and regulatory actions by the European Union.