A Gazprom delegation led by Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Company's Management Committee paid a visit today to the Republic of Slovenia.

Alexey Miller met with Alenka Bratusek, Slovenian Prime Minister, Uros Cufer, Finance Minister, Stanko Stepisnik, Minister of Economic Development and Technology and Samo Omerzel, Minister of Infrastructure and Spatial Planning.

The parties discussed the crucial issues of the Russian-Slovenian cooperation in the gas sector. Special attention was paid to the South Stream project implementation in Slovenia where the spatial planning and environmental impact assessment (EIA) conducted under the national laws are nearing completion.

In addition, the parties addressed the Action Plan on implementing the project in Slovenia between 2013 and 2014 and highlighted that the project was progressing in strict compliance with the schedule.

Consideration was also given to the issue of assigning the national significance status to the gas pipeline.

Background

Russian natural gas has been supplied to Slovenia since 1978.

In 2012 Gazprom supplied Slovenia with 0.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas. The current contract is effective through to 2017.

Plinovodi is the sole natural gas importer in Slovenia. The company is focused on natural gas transmission, distribution and storage in Slovenia.

With a view to diversify the natural gas export routes Gazprom is implementing a project for the construction of a gas pipeline running under the Black Sea to the countries of Southern and Central Europe – the South Stream project. Intergovernmental agreements were signed with Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Slovenia and Croatia in order to implement the onshore gas pipeline section.

On May 27, 2010 Gazprom and Plinovodi signed the Feasibility Study Agreement for the South Stream section in Slovenia.

On March 22, 2011 Gazprom and Plinovodi signed the Shareholders Agreement on South Stream Slovenia LLC being set up on a parity basis to implement South Stream in Slovenia. South Stream Slovenia LLC deals with project documents preparation, fundraising, construction and operation of the gas pipeline in Slovenia.

On February 27, 2012 a Supplementary Agreement to the South Stream Slovenia LLC Shareholders Agreement was signed. The document defines the layout and parameters of the gas pipeline's Slovenian section that were defined on the basis of the Consolidated Feasibility Study of the project.

On November 13, 2012 the Final Investment Decision on building the Slovenian section of the South Stream gas pipeline was adopted.