Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou sent a message for strict enforcement of the gradual phase-out of Russian natural gas imports during the European Union Energy Ministers Council held on Monday (20/10) in Luxembourg. According to sources from the Ministry of Environment and Energy, within the framework of discussions on the REPowerEU regulation, a specific provision was incorporated for the TurkStream pipeline, which transports Russian natural gas through Turkey to Bulgaria and Greece.
Read: Papastavrou: The EU must prevent potential circumvention of the Russian natural gas import ban
This provision aims to prevent potential circumvention of the European ban on Russian natural gas imports. According to Article 7(a) of the regulation under development, any natural gas flow passing through Turkey to Bulgaria and Greece is considered to be of Russian origin, unless irrefutable evidence proving otherwise is presented.
It’s worth noting that the same terms apply to the second Bulgaria-Turkey interconnector pipeline (Strandzha 1 / Malkoclar), through which natural gas is transported either via pipelines such as BlueStream or from Turkish liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure.
Stavros Papastavrou: Strict compliance with the regulation is essential
The Environment and Energy Minister, accompanied by Deputy Energy Minister Nikos Tsafos, emphasized the importance of strict compliance with the regulation by all member states. Specifically, Papastavrou, in his statement after the summit, highlighted Greece’s pivotal role in the new energy reality: “The dominant point of convergence between the European Union and the United States is independence from Russian natural gas. Greece has a decisive role in this new energy architecture, with strategic infrastructure such as Revythousa, the FSRU, the IGB pipeline and our participation in the vertical corridor.” The minister added that our country fully supports the REPowerEU regulation, emphasizing the need for strict implementation by all member states and welcomed the explicit provision for the TurkStream pipeline, which prevents circumvention of European rules.
He also emphasized that Europe must immediately invest in energy interconnections, so that energy security translates into lower prices for households and businesses. According to the proposed Regulation, the complete ban on natural gas and oil imports from Russia will be implemented by January 1, 2028, covering both pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
