South Stream gas pipeline construction through Serbia starts January 2013

Construction of South Stream gas pipeline in Serbia will begin by end-January, said Minister of Natural Resources, Mining and Spatial Planning Milan Bacevic.

The minister noted that the initially announced construction commencement date had been changed because it was agreed that a ceremony marking the start of works should be attended by a representative of the Russian Federation.

Bacevic said in an interview with Beta news agency that everything was set for the commencement of works, adding that the original date for the start of gas pipeline construction - 20 December 2012, was changed at the request of Srbijagas.

The Ministry of Spatial Planning has already prepared all documents necessary for the construction of that gas pipeline, he noted.

Bacevic reminded that the state of Serbia had a 49-percent stake in the ownership of 470-kilometer gas pipeline passing through 21 municipalities, 11 cities and 10 regions in Serbia.