Russia’s state-owned gas major Gazprom and its partners are beginning
construction of the $16bn South Stream pipeline that will run under the
Black Sea to Europe and rival the Nabucco project.
The symbolic first welding of the pipeline takes place in the city of Anapa in Southern Russia on Friday. Among those present at the ceremony are Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bulgaria’s Regional Development and Public Works Minister Liliyana Pavlova as well as representatives of Italy's ENI, France's EDF and Germany's BASF.
The symbolic first welding of the pipeline takes place in the city of Anapa in Southern Russia on Friday. Among those present at the ceremony are Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bulgaria’s Regional Development and Public Works Minister Liliyana Pavlova as well as representatives of Italy's ENI, France's EDF and Germany's BASF.