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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-10-23Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Samaras, Venizelos meeting on WednesdayPrime Minister Antonis Samaras is expected to meet on Wednesday afternoon with Government Vice President, Foreign Minister and PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos at the Maximos Mansion.According to the same sources, the two leaders will finalise the two parties' government policy agreement as well as review political developments. [02] Greece signs final environmental impact assessment on IGB with BulgariaGreece ratified on Wednesday the environmental impact assessment for the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB Pipeline) that will convey in its initial phase 3 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year, with a maximum capacity of 5 billion cubic metres.The IGB Pipeline will provide a direct link between the national natural gas systems of Greece and Bulgaria, and will be eventually connected to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which is carrying natural gas from the Caspian Sea to Europe through Greece. After signing the assessment, Environment, Energy and Climate Change Minister Yiannis Maniatis said that the pipeline would be of decisive significance for the energy security of Greece and Bulgaria, and would also be of importance in the materializing of the Southern Gas Corridor and serve as a gate to the supply of Caspian natural gas to Southeast European markets. "We are proceeding towards making another large project a reality, contributing decisively to our effort to make Greece an energy hub in Europe and a significant factor of stability, security and prosperity in the wider area of the Southeast Mediterranean and the Balkans," Maniatis added. The IGB Pipeline is 182 km long, will start at the northeastern Greek city of Komotini and end at Stara Zagora in Bulgaria. It is estimated to cost 220 million euros. The project has received 45 million euros in EU financial support throught the European Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR), while it has also been included by the European Commission in a proposal to the European Parliament for funding through the Projects of Common Interest (PC) programme, a final decision on which is expected by mid-2014. Construction is expected to begin in autumn 2014, with the pipeline becoming operational by early 2016. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |