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European Commissioner for Energy: BRUA gas pipeline, fundamental for EC, regardless of its route
The BRUA gas pipeline is fundamental for the European Commission and it is important for the gas to reach Austria regardless of the route to be decided, European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Canete said on Tuesday in Bucharest.
"BRUA is a fundamental project for the European Commission because it will allow natural gas to reach Hungary and Austria from Bulgaria and Romania. At the moment we are not discussing how the gas reaches Hungary, but we are discussing how the gas might get to Austria and there are divided opinions within the Hungarian Government as to which is the best route, one or the other, the one across Slovakia," Canete said, making a gesture to show that it does not matter which of the two will be the final route.
"For the Commission, it is important that this project be carried out," the commissioner said.
"For the moment, Phase 1 of the project is already in place and we hope it will be completed as soon as possible. We will continue to support this project and we are in constant contact with governments, transport operators, with everybody, so as to be able to find a rapid solution. The security of energy supply and the diversification of routes and suppliers is a priority of the European Commission, and for Central and South-East Europe to have security, we must have many such interconnectors," the European official said.
The Commissioner specified that gas is the bridge-resource among fossil fuels that Europe wants to give up, and renewable energy, which will be the future.
BRUA gas interconnector will ensure the supply of gas on the Bulgaria-Romania-Hungary-Austria route. Phase I stipulates the construction on the territory of Romania on the Podisor-Recas route and has as completion deadline December 2019. The project is worth 478 million euro, of which 180 million European money.