Alexander Shishlo. A Memorandum of understanding between the participants of the project of construction of gas pipeline Eastring, which can stretch from the Slovak-Ukrainian border through Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria to Turkey's border with Bulgaria or Greece, maybe, will be signed on may 21-22 in Riga summit of the Eastern partnership, said Last news diplomatic source in Brussels.

"The Memorandum of understanding on Eastring, which is intended to initiate the construction of the pipeline, has the ability to be signed on may 21-22 at the summit in Riga," he said.

according to the press, the countries participating in the project Eastring that the Western media is often referred to as an alternative to Russian pipeline project " Turkish stream ", will be Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. Pioneer Eastring were made by the Slovak Company Eustream, it is expected that the financing of the project will deal with created by a cartel of firms participating in the construction of the future gas pipeline from 4 countries. In Eustream also hope for the support of the EU project, for example, from the European investment Bank and commercial financial institutions.

The commercial launch of the pipeline Eastring planned for late 2018. His power in the first operational phase is expected to be 20 billion cubic meters per year, then it will be gradually increased to 40 billion cubic meters per year. The length of the pipeline will reach from 744 to 1015 miles depending on the chosen version of the track. Investment cost of the first phase of the project is planned in the amount of 1, 14 to 1, 52 billion euros.

According to the European press, resources for the future in the pipeline have the opportunity to be Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Iraq, Cyprus and Russia. Feature of the project may be the possibility of a bilateral flow of fuel, that is, the supply of raw materials in the reverse direction from the North and West of the continent in the Balkan countries.

Russia in early December announced the abandonment of the project of gas pipeline " South stream ", which was obliged to pass under the Black sea and through Bulgaria to deliver fuel to the Balkan Republic and Hungary, Austria and Italy. The project was terminated, as well as among them due to the unconstructive position of the European Union. Instead it was decided to build a pipeline to Turkey ( "Turkish" ) and make on the borderline with Greece gas hub for customers in southern Europe.

sections: Politics