Russian Aid For Macedonian Gas Project

Russia’s majority state controlled gas producer and distributor, Gazprom, will help Macedonia in the execution of the project which should finally bring gas to most of the country’s industry and to some households.

The countries agreed on the deal last year when Macedonia’s vice PM Zoran Stavreski visited his Russian counterpart Alexey Kudrin in Moscow.

“Given that €42 million is not sufficient for the completion of the project, Macedonia will co-finance the project which will be built together with Russia, and an additional portion will be completely financed by us” Stavreski said.

The total value of the project is estimated at some €270 million, Macedonian transport and infrastructure minister, Mile Janakieski recently explained.

“We have already started the procedure for choosing an operator who will implement the project,” he stated.
There are two routes that will take priority, Janakieski said. The first will link Skopje with Tetovo and Gostivar. The second will run to the central Macedonian town of Bitola and on to Strumica.

At the moment, Macedonia’s only significant gas infrastructure is a pipeline leading from its border with Bulgaria to the capital Skopje where a power plant currently under construction, will operate on Russian gas.