"Greece could provide alternative gas route"

"Greece could provide alternative gas route"

"It is certain that South Stream was one of the most important projects and its financial cancellation is bad news for Serbia and Hungary," he said at the Serbian government headquarters after the signing of a plan to modernize the railway between Belgrade and Budapest.

South Stream was very important for energy security in Central Europe, he noted.

There is no other choice but to find a new solution, said Szijjarto, who is also the minister of trade.

An alternative gas supply route could go from Greece through Macedonia and Serbia to Hungary, he remarked.

The gas could be distributed throughout Central Europe from Hungary, but that is just one of many options that will be considered, the Hungarian official stated.

Energy security is an important matter for the entire Europe, and also an issue of responsibility, he stressed.

Szijjarto said he would meet with European officials early next week to discuss the possibility of the European Commission including a project meant for improving energy security in its investment package.

He pointed out he had discussed it with Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic and that they would discuss it further during Dacic's upcoming visit to Hungary.

Szijjarto added that he would talk about an alternative gas supply route with Turkish officials in about 10 days.

Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister Zorana Mihajlovic said she agreed with the opinion that the energy stability of Central and Eastern Europe was key to the energy stability of all of Europe.

"We are prepared to consider any option that can help us achieve energy stability in the future," she remarked.