Greece Interested in Construction of Pipeline Supplying Russian Gas to Europe

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Georgios Katrougalos said on Tuesday that Athens is still interested in the construction of a gas hub on the country's territory.

ATHENS (Sputnik) — Greece is still interested in the construction of a pipeline supplying Russian gas to Europe via its territory, Katrougalos said.

"Our interest in the construction of a gas hub remains unchanged," Katrougalos said Tuesday.

He pointed out that the country's Ministry of Energy had not made any decision on the issue yet, adding that the National Council on Foreign Policy would hold a meeting devoted to the energy issues on May 10,

"These issues will be in the focus of discussion on May 10," Katrougalos said.

The Turkish Stream project was announced in the end of 2014 by Russian President Vladimir Putin on his state visit to Turkey. The pipeline is expected to run beneath the Black Sea from Russia to Turkey and continue to a hub on the Turkish-Greek border, from where the gas could be transferred to Southern Europe.

In November 2015, the project was suspended after a Russian Su-24 aircraft was downed by a Turkish F-16 fighter in Syria. A thaw in relations between Moscow and Ankara began in June 2016 following Turkey's apology to Russia.

Moscow and Ankara signed an intergovernmental agreement in October 2016 envisioning the construction of two underwater legs of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline in the Black Sea. The annual capacity of each leg is estimated to reach 15.75 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Pipe-laying work for the pipeline is expected to begin in the second half of 2017 and end in late 2019.