Gazprom said after Saturday's signing of the agreement in Moscow that Slovenia's participation in South Stream would enable Russian gas to directly pass to the Italian market, which is the main goal of this energy project.
While this will enable Gazprom to strengthen its position in Europe and especially on the Italian peninsula, the company is convinced that partnership with the world's biggest exporter of natural gas will make the Slovenian market more secure, stable and flexible.
Pointing to possibilities of cooperation between Gazprom and Slovenia's Geoplin Plinovodi, which will operate a joint venture as part of the deal, the Russian company added that the project will create new jobs while Slovenia will also benefit from transit gas.
South Stream, a joint project between Gazprom and Italy's Eni, will carry 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually across two pipelines.
One would head from Russia under the Black Sea to Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Austria and Slovenia to Italy. The other pipeline would head from Bulgaria to Greece and then on to southern Italy.
The project is scheduled for completion by 2015.
