Greek Energy Minister Panos Skourletis said Sunday that his country would start working immediately on Turkish Stream if The European Union (EU) gives the green light.
The minister spoke to AA on the sidelines of Thessaloniki International Fair, where he met his Russian counterpart, Alexander Novak.
"If European Commission grants permissions, we will run for it," the minister told AA.
The Turkish Stream pipeline project, which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December 2014 during his visit to Ankara, plans to carry Russian gas via the Black Sea and Turkey to South Eastern Europe.
"We are very interested in this project," he said, for the two-line project, which will carry 30 billion cubic meters (bcm) natural gas annually. Some half of this total volume is planned for Turkish domestic market.
Gazprom said it received initial permission for the construction of the Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline from Turkish authorities through diplomatic channels, in a statement earlier this week.
Skourletis said that the 15 bcm natural gas can be delivered to further Europe, through Turkey-Greece-Italy Inter-connector (ITGI).
Russian, Greek and Italian companies had signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of it in last February.
(Anadolu Agency)
