Gazprom: South Stream will proceed as scheduled

Too many of my Serbian friends do not understand Economics 101 and the role of competition and anti monopoly rules meant to discourage any one company such as Gazprom from exercising monopolistic practices on EU territory.Many analysts are correct to state that there is no chance in heck that South Stream is more important to Bulgaria or the other EU countries than EU membership itself and in the long run the EU is doing Serbia a favor by forcing the Russians to engage in free market practices and not monopolisitic control which Russians are well known for.Not one single country as a whole thinks it is better off outside of the EU than inside or else they would leave and even most British as a whole want to stay in the EU although some argue for the right to comply with EU regulations they find favorable but disregard ones they do not find beneficial for their own self interest as opposed to understanding that it is good as a whole.For example is it correct that some EU countries want an exemption to the free movement of labor(Romanians, Bulgarians) even though everybody understands that it is good as a whole?In the end Gazprom which is really a Kremlin owned/controlled company will have to comply with EU regulations or it will not be pumping gas into EU territory- it really is that simple.Shalom to my Serbian friends and Zivila Serbia

I do not believe in the good intentions of the EC. I'm surprised and timing of such announcements. I'm surprised and disappointed that the Commission voices its concerns only now, after construction works have begun. This unfortunate timing is even less comprehensible given that South Stream has been granted national priority status in several EU member states.

Very often an ultimatum in diplomacy is just the last demand before the first surrender. Especially now that colonization of the Ukraine has failed EU is in an agony. Now the Ukrainian route is also open for gas. The pill is too bitter to be swallowed. So EU bureaucracy needs somehow to avenge Russia. But pressing at Serbia may be counterproductive as it may quite follow the Ukraine. EU is going to buy states free of charge with promises and slogans. Also they target Russia as the last plot against the anglo-saxon monopoly on the globe.

This is a very huge and significant project. It's crucial that they will be over as scheduled.

To Luciano
Every thing you stated quite logical however the countries you mentioned ie: Bulgaria,Greece and Serbia all beneficiaries of the product are considered 2nd class citizens by the dominant countries of the EU. For this reason they will make sure the project goes forward because they know it will give them leverage against Brussels

I don't see the big problem. Gazprom will simply found a bogus company which operates the pipeline, then gas producer and pipeline operator are different. Hey, maybe they can even recycle the swiss bogus company Gazprom founded for the construction of south-stream in Serbia :-)

Serbian people must be unhappy.
Once - country with best passport in world.
Now - substation of mafia company.

" I'm surprised and disappointed that the Commission voices its concerns only now, after construction works have begun. "

The final finding of the commission was presented to the representatives of the countries involved in a meeting on Oct. 18. If countries - Bulgaria and Serbia - then went through with a ceremonial "First Welding," well, that was a political decision, and everybody certainly did feel good for a while there.

If Serbia builds a pipeline, perhaps it could later be connected to one of the other pipelines proposed for the region, although with Russia owning 51% of it, getting physical control of it may take some hard bargaining.

I do not believe in the good intentions of the EC. I'm surprised and timing of such announcements. I'm surprised and disappointed that the Commission voices its concerns only now, after construction works have begun. This unfortunate timing is even less comprehensible given that South Stream has been granted national priority status in several EU member states.

Very often an ultimatum in diplomacy is just the last demand before the first surrender. Especially now that colonization of the Ukraine has failed EU is in an agony. Now the Ukrainian route is also open for gas. The pill is too bitter to be swallowed. So EU bureaucracy needs somehow to avenge Russia. But pressing at Serbia may be counterproductive as it may quite follow the Ukraine. EU is going to buy states free of charge with promises and slogans. Also they target Russia as the last plot against the anglo-saxon monopoly on the globe.

This is a very huge and significant project. It's crucial that they will be over as scheduled.

Serbian people must be unhappy.
Once - country with best passport in world.
Now - substation of mafia company.

I don't see the big problem. Gazprom will simply found a bogus company which operates the pipeline, then gas producer and pipeline operator are different. Hey, maybe they can even recycle the swiss bogus company Gazprom founded for the construction of south-stream in Serbia :-)

Too many of my Serbian friends do not understand Economics 101 and the role of competition and anti monopoly rules meant to discourage any one company such as Gazprom from exercising monopolistic practices on EU territory.Many analysts are correct to state that there is no chance in heck that South Stream is more important to Bulgaria or the other EU countries than EU membership itself and in the long run the EU is doing Serbia a favor by forcing the Russians to engage in free market practices and not monopolisitic control which Russians are well known for.Not one single country as a whole thinks it is better off outside of the EU than inside or else they would leave and even most British as a whole want to stay in the EU although some argue for the right to comply with EU regulations they find favorable but disregard ones they do not find beneficial for their own self interest as opposed to understanding that it is good as a whole.For example is it correct that some EU countries want an exemption to the free movement of labor(Romanians, Bulgarians) even though everybody understands that it is good as a whole?In the end Gazprom which is really a Kremlin owned/controlled company will have to comply with EU regulations or it will not be pumping gas into EU territory- it really is that simple.Shalom to my Serbian friends and Zivila Serbia

" I'm surprised and disappointed that the Commission voices its concerns only now, after construction works have begun. "

The final finding of the commission was presented to the representatives of the countries involved in a meeting on Oct. 18. If countries - Bulgaria and Serbia - then went through with a ceremonial "First Welding," well, that was a political decision, and everybody certainly did feel good for a while there.

If Serbia builds a pipeline, perhaps it could later be connected to one of the other pipelines proposed for the region, although with Russia owning 51% of it, getting physical control of it may take some hard bargaining.

To Luciano
Every thing you stated quite logical however the countries you mentioned ie: Bulgaria,Greece and Serbia all beneficiaries of the product are considered 2nd class citizens by the dominant countries of the EU. For this reason they will make sure the project goes forward because they know it will give them leverage against Brussels