Gazprom goes to the Balkan states through Greece and Italy

Gazprom has actually officially returned to the project of the Trans-Black Sea gas pipeline South Stream: yesterday, the Russian company signed a memorandum with Italian Edison and Greek DEPA on gas supply from Russia to the future gas pipeline ITGI, which will connect Greece and Italy. In the conflict with Turkey, the only way to supply gas of Gazprom to Greece is the revival of South Stream, which is now actively pursued by a number of EU countries. According to analysts, using ITGI, Gazprom will be able to provide the south of the Balkans with gas, partially refusing the transit through the Ukraine. However, the Russian company recognizes that it is ready for the project only if European Commission agrees.

Yesterday, Gazprom signed a memorandum of understanding with the Italian energy company Edison and Greek gas company DEPA on possible supplies of gas from Russia under the Black Sea "through another country to Greece and from Greece to Italy". Heads of the companies signed the document in Rome after talks of the Gazprom’s head Alexei Miller, Minister of Economic Development of Italy Federica Guidi and the head of Italian Eni Claudio Descalzi. Eni is the largest client of Gazprom on the European market, Edison (owned by the French company EDF) and DEPA, controlled by the Greek Government, also buy gas from Gazprom.