Greece–Italy relations

In the joint press conference following the bilateral meeting between the Greek delegation and the Turkish one in Smyrna, Turkey, within the framework of the Hellenic-Turkish ministerial Council, Greek PM Alexis Tsipras stated that the top priority at this point for both countries was to save the lives of those refugees crossing the Aegean Sea.

The European Commission has decided that the agreement between Greece and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) joint venture to build a pipeline that will bring Caspian gas to Europe is in line with EU rules for state aid.

Russian energy giant Gazprom has said it signed a memorandum with Italy's Edison SpA and Greece's DEPA SA on gas deliveries.

Bulgaria's state energy holding BEH and Greek-Italian joint venture ISI Poseidon signed on Dec. 10 a key investment deal to build a new pipeline linking Bulgaria and Greece's gas networks, officials said.

US diplomats are working in Greece to make sure the interconnector project between Athens and Sofia will be carried out, the Bulgarian National Radio has said.

"The interconnector with Bulgaria is a priority for Greece's energy policy as well," BNR's correspondent in Athens quotes Greek Energy Minister Skourletis as telling lawmakers in Parliament.

Moscow has sent two offers to Ankara relating to the Turkish Stream project, apparently showing readiness to decouple the construction of a pipeline for gas deliveries to Turkey from the proposed pipes for transit of Russian gas to Europe.

Russia hopes to sign an intergovernmental agreement on the Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline after a new government is formed in Turkey, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview with Slovenia's national broadcaster RTV Slovenija on July 23, as reported by Russia's TASS news agency. 

Gazprom subsidiary South Stream Transport BV has suspended a contract with Italy's Saipem SpA for the construction of the first line of the offshore section of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline.

Bulgaria will have to count on two prospective gas pipeline projects to secure to fulfill its recent dream and become a key player on the energy map, Austrian daily Wirtschaftsblatt says in an article.

The text is mostly focused on the now ditched South Stream pipeline and the hopes Bulgaria is pinning on alternative projects that are being put forward.

Bulgaria is "also interested" in the realization of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasily A. Nebenzya has said.

In an interview with Russian news agency Interfax published on the website of the Foreign Ministry in Moscow [RU], he has explained that "many countries in Southern Europe" are interested in the project.