Today Sofia hosted a business energy forum within the Summit on Natural Gas for Europe. Security and Partnership.

Taking part in the forum were Sergei Stanishev, Bulgarian Prime Minister, Petar Dimitrov, Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister, high-ranking executives of the European Commission, large energy companies as well as leading experts from specialized mass media and international non-governmental institutions.

Stanislav Tsygankov, Head of the Gazprom International Business Department presented a speech dedicated to the South Stream project.

In addition to the managerial and engineering aspects of the project, the speaker placed particular emphasis on the general issues of concern related to the execution of large infrastructure projects.

In particular, Stanislav Tsygankov stressed the necessity to update international and national legal provisions regulating offshore production and gas pipeline laying. He also called on European authorities to render material rather than verbal assistance to the efforts stepped up by gas producers in the aim of diversifying and enhancing the efficiency of gas supplies to the EU.

“The South Stream should be among top priority projects not only for Gazprom, but also for the European Union as well. The project implementation should proceed regardless of political and financial conditions,” stated Stanislav Tsygankov.