EU Commissioner for Energy Günther Oettinger criticized South Stream gas pipeline project to be signed in Sochi, Russia.

The Commissioner stated that the project is an attempt by Russia to hamper the realization of alternative Nabucco gas pipeline, which is actively supported by Europe.

Oettinger said that South Stream will not make EU abandon Nabucco which aims to diversify gas supplies to the European market, reports BBC Russia reports.

South Stream is Russian-Italian-French gas pipeline project that will run through the Black Sea from Russia’s port of Novorossiysk to Bulgarian port of Varna where it will be split into two branches – one for South the other for Central Europe.

South Stream is created to diversify the supply of Russian natural gas to Europe and to reduce dependence on suppliers and customers of the transit countries, particularly from Ukraine and Turkey.