Hungary expressed a strong intention to make sure that the gas planned to be supplied to Europe via the transit string of the TurkStream gas pipeline could be received by Hungary in the shortest time possible, the Russian energy company Gazprom announced on late Friday.
The company said that a working meeting between Alexey Miller, Gazprom's Chairman and Peter Szijjarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, took place at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2019.
The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2019 was held from June 6 to 8.
According to Gazprom, the participants of the meeting examined the current issues and prospects of their cooperation, particularly focusing on gas supplies.
'It was noted that Gazprom's supplies to Hungary from January 1 through June 5, 2019, totaled 4.3 billion cubic meters of gas, a 57.5% increase versus the same period of 2018. In addition to the contracted amounts, Hungary bought from Gazprom another 2 billion cubic meters of gas, which will be delivered in 2019,' Gazprom stated.
In 2018, Gazprom supplied to Hungary 7.6 billion cubic meters of gas, an increase of 9.3% (7 billion cubic meters) from 2017.
The TurkStream natural gas pipeline has a total capacity of 31.5 billion cubic meters, out of which the first line will carry a capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters of Russian gas to Turkish consumers. The second line will carry another 15.75 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe via Turkey.
The second line of the project to transfer Russian gas to Europe is expected to route through Bulgaria following transmission via Turkey. TurkStream gas exports are expected to run from Turkey to Bulgaria, then Serbia, Hungary and Slovakia.
By Murat Temizer
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr