"Russia will provide enough gas to Serbia"

Russia will provide enough gas to Serbia, regardless of the outcome of talks between Russia and Ukraine on Russian gas transit, said Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, noting that he received assurances of this on Wednesday from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We in Serbia have big problems, they regard gas supply since we don't know how all that will go with Ukraine. I want to calm the people of Serbia today, I got assurances from President Putin and Miller (Gazprom CEO) that we will be able to buy additional quantities of Russian gas from the territory of some other countries as well, and we wait for the first and second quarters of next year reassured, regardless of how the talks between Russia and Ukraine go," said Vucic.

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He stressed that it makes him feel much safer and that he cannot hide his smile.

"I thank Putin and Russian friends for that," Vucic said at a joint press conference with the president of Russia.

Photo: Presidency of Serbia

As Vucic said, Serbian citizens will have enough gas thanks to yesterday's talks with Putin and what the Russian president has said.

"We pay for gas on a regular basis and as far as gas is concerned we have resolved it," Vucic added.

President Putin said that Russia is only increasing deliveries of gas, now reaching historically highest deliveries to Europe.

Asked what would happen if Russian gas transit through Ukraine stops, Putin said Russia is ready to preserve Ukrainian transit and to discuss it, and that this was not a secret.

"The only thing is that the conditions of the Ukrainian side are not acceptable to us, but that is the beginning of the negotiations and I hope that we will reach an agreement. Serbia will be provided with gas in any case, along some other routes. The issue we have discussed today is increasing deliveries to Serbia due to the growth of the economy, because the needs of Serbia are greater every year and I want to congratulate the Serbian leadership and the president of Serbia," Putin said.

Even without the Ukrainian transit, we will be able to increase deliveries to Serbia, Putin added.

Photo: Presidency of Serbia

As for Serbia's involvement in the TurkStream project, Putin said it was possible.

"We are ready. The Serbian part of the pipeline from the Bulgarian to the Hungarian border is almost ready and 90 percent is already set up, Serbia is 85 percent ready. The issue is in transit stations, but what we see is that despite the numerous assurances and pleas of the Russian side, deliveries must be assured through Turkey and Bulgaria. We see that the Bulgarian side is deliberately delaying the implementation of the project in its territory."

Putin added that Russia has repeatedly called on Bulgaria to implement TurkStream, but that the Bulgarian leadership, probably under pressure, is in no hurry.

"We will see how this project will be further implemented in the Bulgarian territory," he said.

"If the Bulgarian leadership doesn't want this pipeline we will find other opportunities in the south of Europe. We have other joint projects with Serbia, not just gas delivery. These are our oil and gas companies and they will increase investments, and we have other plans. It seems to me that the direction of cooperation has a very good perspective," Putin concluded.

(Telegraf Biznis/Tanjug)