Belgrade, March 7 - Neftegaz.RU. According to Serbian Seenews, Serbia's energy regulatory agency said it has approved an exemption from the requirements of the European Union's 3rd Energy Package of the project for construction of the section of Turkish Stream gas pipeline on the country's territory.
Serbian Gastrans will not be obliged to apply the 3rd-party access rules to the future gas pipeline that will cross Serbia, connecting to the gas transmission systems of Bulgaria and Hungary, the energy regulator, AERS, said in a statement.
In making the decision, the energy regulator has taken into account the opinion of the Energy Community on the exemption of Gastrans' gas pipeline project from certain requirements of the 3rd Energy Package, it said.
In February, the Energy Community said Gastrans should offer on independent markets such as the South East European Power Exchange 30% of the gas it will receive through the future branch of Gazprom's Turk Stream pipeline on its territory.
The gas shall be offered on a quarterly basis and the price shall not be higher than the price defined in the long-term contract of the entity, the Energy Community said in a detailed opinion on the exemption.
Gazprom plans to build a string of its Turk Stream pipeline for transit of gas to Europe from Turkey via Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary. The future pipeline in Serbia, approximately 400 km in length, will link the Serbian gas transmission system to those of Bulgaria and Hungary.
