Viktor Yushchenko has criticized "the South" and "Nord Stream".

KommentariiRossiya return a udar27.03.2009Moskva start a campaign for the revision of the Brussels gas deklaratsiiPress-konferentsiiInteresy Gazprom into Ukraine31.03.2009Na questions readers Lenty.Ru "answer columnist" Time News Alexei GrivachUkrainsky President Viktor Yushchenko on the radio station Ekho Moskvy projects criticized Gazprom for the construction of new pipelines to Europe - South Stream ( "South Stream") and the Nord Stream ( "Nord Stream"),. Yushchenko has called those projects "political."
"We guarantee that the Ukrainian way to the delivery of Russian oil the best, most reliable and economically", - Yushchenko stated (most likely, the president was referring not to "Ukrainian route of delivery of Russian oil," a Ukrainian route of delivery of Russian gas - approx. Lenta.Ru).
President of Ukraine also believes that Russia will never be able to abandon the gas transit through Ukraine. "Russia is advantageous for a reliable, strategic supply route. Russia has never come to the diversification of supply. Never. That is, can be replaced by 10 billion to 20 billion (cubic meters of gas - approx. Lenta.Ru"), but this is not the answer " - the president said.
Yushchenko also said that the Ukrainian gas transport system (GTS) on the design capacity of more "underutilized at 30-40 billion cubic meters of gas a year, but the reaction of the Russian leadership on the Ukraine-EU declaration on the modernization of the Ukrainian GTS called" inadequate. "
It is anticipated that the pipeline "Southern stream" (to be held under the Black Sea and linking Russia and Italy) and "Northern stream" (linking Russia and Germany on the bottom of the Baltic Sea) will allow Russia to supply of gas to Europe, bypassing intermediaries - in particular, Belarus , Ukraine and the Baltic countries. The EU also will receive the fuel at lower prices. Both the gas pipeline, Gazprom is building in partnership with European companies.
The cost of construction of gas pipeline "Nord Stream" is estimated at 7.4 billion euros, while the "South stream" - up to 25 billion euros. Envisaged that the capacity of the Southern stream "will be about 47 billion cubic meters of gas per year (previously planned pipeline capacity is 31 billion cubic meters of gas), and on the" Nord Stream "will be about 27 billion cubic meters.
Ukraine is a major transit of Russian gas to Europe. In 2008, this territory was transported 119.6 billion cubic meters of gas. The carrying capacity of the Ukrainian GTS at the input of 290 billion cubic meters of gas a year, at the outlet - 175 billion cubic meters.
Recall that the EU and Ukraine signed on 23 March in Brussels Declaration on the modernization of Ukraine's GTS, which did not provide for participation in the project in Russia. This caused resentment in Moscow, sedimented intergovernmental consultations to Kiev's intention to ask Moscow for a loan of 5 billion dollars.
In Europe, believe that the modernization of the Ukrainian GTS will cost three billion dollars, while Gazprom's investments in estimate 16-30 billion dollars. At the same time Ukraine plans to retain control of the "pipe" itself, and "South Stream and Nord Stream" (investment in both projects - more than 30 billion euros) will be controlled by the Russian concern.
It should be noted that Gazprom believed Ukraine transit blackmailer ", citing the example of the gas conflict with Ukraine in 2006 and 2009, when stopping the supply of gas to the EU.
Europe buys in Russia one fifth of the total consumption of gas.