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European Union failed to impose Nabucco, says Traian Basescu
The European Union has failed to impose Nabucco, said on Thursday evening, on Digi24, President Traian Basescu adding that he, personally, fought to the last moment for this project to become operational.
'It turned out that the big story of solidarity and of the European policy on energy proved to be only a statement without any backing. I want to be very clear: certainly we're sorry, but I will give you a sweetener, if we discuss it still, in the whole thing, namely if something can be called sweet in relation to it. It was a project of the European Union, not only of Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria those that have failed to impose the project, but the European Union. And in front of whom it ceded? In front of two large companies, one Norwegian and another Swiss', the President noted.
Traian Basescu explained that there were some signs, some reasonable time before, meaning that Gaz de France bought Nabucco shares and EON, TAP ones, which shows a balanced option.
'Finally, the word which weighed the heaviest was of the largest operator of the field, which was British Petroleum. TAP transit is much cheaper than Nabucco's, the distance is smaller and the Shah Deniz II, which supplies gas to TAP, is much less rich than expected initially. Nabucco was designed for 30 billion cubic meters per year, or it seems that more than 10 billion can not be provided, as the field looks now', said Basescu.
Basescu also mentioned that he knew that Nabucco failed exactly when this happened, adding that he was struggling for this project until the last minute.
The head of state also said that, in 2018, Romania will be able to cover its own needs, but also to export shale gas from the Black Sea.