Justification study for gas pipeline "Južni tok" prior to end of year 2010

- Justification study for gas pipeline "Južni tok" will be finished by the end of year 2010 and Russia will keep its promise as far as agreement with Serbia is concerned - said Aleksandar Medvedev, the Deputy President of the Administrative Board of company "Gazprom- export".

- Work on elaboration of the justification study is about to start and it will define the exact route of Serbia's part of gas pipeline. However, Serbia's part is not a separate project, but an integral part of the whole project. This project is very complex in technical sense- it consists of land and underwater parts- said Medvedev.

He pointed out that all speculations that Russian side would not keep its promises was unfounded, but he also underlined that some factors were out controlled by "Gazprom Group".

- Every country has certain political situation that can have influence on the project, either positive or negative. There are political forces outside the Balkans that are not governed by economic reasons and they are trying to stop development of "Južni tok" in order to leave Europe without any possibility to satisfy its future needs of natural gas, which are expected to grow- said Medvedev.

Gazprom Moscow

Južni tok

Gazprom group

Aleksandar Medvedev