Prime Alexis Tsipras of Greece did not ask for money from Vladimir Putin, but still get them. Greece will be allocated up to € 5 billion. Formally – construction and transit Greek branch “of the Turkish stream.” In reality – to repay their debts to evrokreditorami.
On Tuesday, Moscow and Athens may sign an agreement on the transit of gas through the pipeline “Turkish stream,” according to the German edition of Spiegel-Online citing a senior member of the ruling party SYRIZA in Greece.
In this report, there are two amazing moment. Firstly, there is no “Turkish flow” is not even in sight. It has yet to be laid on the Russian side under the Black Sea to the Turkish coast. On the Turkish-Greek border is expected to create a gas hub, where Russian fuel will be distributed to European consumers. The intention of the Russian authorities is to bring gas to European consumers (Balkan countries, Hungary, Austria, Italy) through the Ukraine, and in Turkey.
«Turkish Stream” – is adjusted “South Stream”, the construction of which had to be abandoned in December 2014. The idea of the pipeline has faced opposition from the European Commission, which required that the project be brought into line with European antitrust law, suggesting that the same company can not deal with and supply and transportation of gas.
Greece initially planned to be only one of the participants in the project, along with Turkey, Hungary, Serbia and Macedonia, but now could become a key transit country, and “Turkish Stream” may have to rename in the “Greek”.
The second point that deserves attention – prepayment.
According to Spiegel, Greece can get from Russia for switching flow for themselves and for the future of Russian gas transit from € 3 billion to € 5 billion.
The funds that are allocated to Russia, according to Spiegel, will advance against future income of Greece from gas transit through its territory to Europe. The Greeks will be able to settle with Russia after the start of operation of the pipeline in 2019-2020, respectively. By this time the contract expires “Gazprom” with Ukraine on gas transit to Europe.
Details of the deal were discussed during the official visit to Moscow on April 8 in Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras knows German edition. Meanwhile, Putin said after meeting with Tsipras declared that Greece had not approached the Russian authorities for financial assistance.
«This is not about assistance and cooperation, including in the financial area, in relation to specific major projects” – then said Putin.
He said that Russia and Greece are considering the implementation of joint projects, income from which will be used to repay the Greek loans. “We discussed the issues of cooperation in various sectors of the economy, including the possibility of implementing large-scale projects in the energy sector, and these projects can be situations that would allow us not only otkreditovat certain plans that together we have discussed today, but also address the issues of credit relations in a broader context in the light of these projects, “- hinted the president.
The implementation of the agreement between Greece and Russia on the construction of a gas pipeline connecting the “Turkish Stream” with Central Europe, will require about € 2 billion, estimated previously minister of industrial reform, environmental protection and energy of Greece Panagiotis Lafazanis. “Ample credit relations”, according to Spiegel, is € 3-5 billion.
But it is not so much the amount of the loan, how much is for what purpose it will go.
It seems that no one in Athens or Moscow especially not hide the fact that the money will go not to the pipe, and the fact that no “came pipe” relationship of Greece and the European Union .
Greece – hopeless debtor. The country owed to European banks and the IMF. According to the Greek treasury, public debt of Greece in 2014 rose to 185% of GDP. This is more than € 300 billion. At the same time, according to the forecast of the Institute Levy, the national debt in 2015 will increase to 205% of GDP. This week, the head of the IMF Christine Lagarde denied Greece installment debts. By mid-May, Greece must pay fund of nearly $ 1 billion.
If the creditors do not go to Athens to meet the country will be forced to default.
At the same time, all Greece declares that she has a plan “B” – the refinancing of debt with the help of countries outside the euro area. This may be Russia, China, the United States or other countries. Russia announced its readiness to provide financial assistance to Athens.
If Greece receives from Russia € 5 billion of that money will be enough to delay the reckoning with European creditors until June.
But Greece’s efforts aimed at to get help from Russia to resolve its debt crisis, causing discontent in Brussels and Berlin. European officials of different levels and MEPs have repeatedly made it clear to the Greek prime minister that he has chosen a dangerous strategy, enrolling as an ally to Russia. Tsipras previously criticized Western sanctions with regard to Russia, calling them “the road to nowhere.” Rapprochement with Russia will only complicate the problem of the Greek debt, insist evrokreditory.
«EU membership means reliability and credibility – and not the use of all kinds of tricks and feints. He who plays with fire and trying to get help from Russia, can burn your fingers! “- Said the head group of the CDU / CSU in the European Parliament Herbert Royle.
Finally, do not know how to react to Turkey Greece attempted to seize the initiative. Will the Turkey to use its territory for laying “Greek flow”? Turkey and Greece are traditionally hostile relations. But most importantly, Turkey and she wants to have a powerful gas distribution hub on the outskirts of Europe and is not ready to give it to Greece. 
No comments:
Post a Comment