MOSCOW
Russian energy giant Gazprom and Turkey's state-owned pipeline corporation BOTAS agreed on a 10.25 percent discount on gas deliveries, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Friday.
Speaking to journalists in Moscow, Novak said that the discount's amount is agreed at 10.25 percent, but that the document related to the agreement has not yet been signed.
Turkey’s Energy Minister Taner Yildiz had announced on Feb. 27 that Russia agreed to give Turkey a 10.25 percent discount on natural gas supplied from March onwards. However, according to official sources, Russia was unwilling to provide the agreed discount unless Turkey signs an agreement for the proposed Turkish Stream pipeline project.
- Turkish pipeline project continues
Additionally, Novak said that Russia has not received any official statements from Turkey on formalizing the Turkish Stream pipeline project, which is to replace the South Stream project in bringing Russian gas to Europe.
"We continue the work on an intergovernmental agreement. It is my understanding that the Turkish side continues to work on it too," he added.
The Turkish pipeline project was publicly announced during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Turkey on December 1 after the cancellation of the South Stream project.
The Turkish pipeline project is a Russian proposal which plans to transmit Russian gas to Europe while bypassing Ukraine. The project is planned to carry 63 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Europe via the Turkish-Greek border. Turkey is due to receive 15.75 billion cubic meters out of the total capacity of the pipeline.
The South Stream project was to transport Russian natural gas through the Black Sea to Bulgaria and through Serbia, Hungary and Slovenia, finishing in Austria. The project was cancelled in 2014.
