"Gazprom" dives without permission.

"Turkish Stream" will start to be built before an agreement with Turkey is reached.

For the first time "Gazprom" launches a major export project without signing a binding agreement on it: the monopoly announced the start of construction of the "Turkish stream" pipeline. As a result, "Gazprom" is risking to remain with the unfinished tube in the middle of the Black Sea, but the company believes that the delay is purely political and the agreement with Turkey will be signed after the elections in the country in early June. Ankara, however, is still waiting for the discounts for the state Botas. The early start of "Gazprom" gives Turkey an advantage in the negotiations, but it has nothing to lose: the monopoly is already paying the contractor for the down time.

The construction of the offshore portion of the "Turkish Stream" pipeline through the Black Sea would begin in June, Oleg Aksyutin, a member of the Board of "Gazprom", stated yesterday. He explained that a contract with the Italian Saipem is signed for the first stretch of the pipeline. "The work will be carried out by two ships, depending on the installation conditions. So, in the shallow water work will begin in early June", - he stated. Thus, the Russian monopoly is preparing to start the first real action on the project, which was being discussed for the past six months.