Chepurin: Serbia can be compensated for some losses

BELGRADE - Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Chepurin said on Tuesday that it is possible to compensate Serbia for some of the losses resulting from the abandonment of the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline.

I think that some of the losses can be compensated and Russia will strive to take Serbia's interests into account, as has been said in discussions between the two countries' leaderships, Chepurin told a round table panel on the legal and political aspects of the Ukrainian crisis.

Speaking about the compensation, Chepurin added that Serbian-Russian cooperation in the energy sector, as well as investments in other areas, could be discussed.

We need to cooperate in a dynamic manner, and cooperation in energy does not only relate to gas, the ambassador explained, adding that each side must protect its own interests and act on a partnership level, if not on a friendly basis.

He once again blamed the West for the project's collapse, which, he noted, is contrary to the interests of Russia, Serbia, the European Union and some regional countries.

Europe must think about how it can secure gas supplies, since the gas transit agreement with Ukraine expires on December 31, 2017, Chepurin said.

Photo Tanjug/Milos Jelesijevic