Bulgaria and Slovakia to construct a gas pipeline – an addition to the Ukraine’s GTS

​Gas transportation operators of Bulgaria and Slovakia Bulgartransgaz and Eustream  have signed a memorandum of understanding on the foundation of the Eastring route which will connect these countries with the already existing gas pipelines of the Ukraine, Czechia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. The goal of the signed agreement is to study the interest of the market in the project and attraction of support and financing in the EU.

The initial capacity of the project is 15-20 bln cubic m of gas which can be pumped to the Balkans from Russia and the West.

The gas pipeline will help Bulgaria to become the regional gas distribution hub reducing its almost 100% fuel dependence on Russia.

According to the description of the project, Eastring is the alternative of the suggested by Russia South Stream, fully meets all EU rules and may provide gas supplies to the Balkans by 100%.

Eastring will also allow to aitianlly use the existing transit capacities and capacities on gas storage in Czechia, Slovakia, the Ukraine, Poland Romania and Bulgaria.