New Energy Roads: Trans Adriatic Pipeline Pt.3

(image copyrights: www.jsg.utexas.edu)

During the past months, Security Affairs have indicated the importance of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline as the route of transport of the Azeri Shah Deniz II gas to Europe.

Although the competition was hard, in 28th of June the Shah Deniz Consortium confirmed the choice of TAP, introducing Greece, Italy and Albania to the new energy era of Europe. With this agreement and after the initiation of transport, the European countries will no more depend only on Russia and Algeria for their natural gas needs, considering Azerbaijan as their new powerful energy partner.

The Consortium also pointed out that this particular choice was made because of the project's advanced economic and technical characteristics. Thanks to these characteristics, Trans Adriatic Pipeline prevailed over NABUCCO West, the until recently predominant pipeline whose route was including Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Austria.

For the three countries that will host TAP, the implementation of the project will offer an economic and geopolitical boost, including new job positions, raise of investments and a higher energy profile towards the European Union. Italy is going to gain a wider energy independence from Algeria and its natural gas supplies. Regarding Greece, it is an important move against the economic crisis and the hyperbolic voices about "Grexit", prompting international investors to approach the market in wider scale. And of course, for Albania, the pipeline agreement is synchronized with a major political change, the victory of the Alliance for a European Albania and its leader Edi Rama; the  important energy project and the defeat of Sali Berisha which was widely considered as a sign of growing democratic maturity of Albania, is a promising combination for its future.

Trans Adriatic Pipeline will be approximately 870 km long, connecting with Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) near Greek-Turkish borders. It is designed to expand the capacity from 10 to 20 bcm per year and will open up the so-called Southern Gas Corridor, strengthening Europe's energy security by providing a new natural gas source.

Erdogan's intransigence, a step back for Turkey.

Protesters holding banners reading on "Tayyip (Turkish PM) must resign".
(Photo by EPA/The Telegraph)

True facts about governance in Turkey comes to light through the unrest that started in Taksim Square and expanded in other major cities. No matter how much Ankara may want to enter the European Union or belong to the "West", the way this situation was managed by the government revealed the inability of using democratic methods to solve interior crises.

Regarding the huge amounts of tear gas and the brutality used to suppress the protesters, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan does not seem willing to show any compunction about the violence towards the gathered people. Expressing his prospects and decisions about this situation can confuse and might be considered by the listener as an authoritarian leader. He sounds like a politician and a man who does not accept an opinion different than his. Due to these characteristics, his profile is similar to some dictators (without implying that he is one), rather than to European leaders.

Number one in imprisoned journalists, manipulation of media, a considerable number of unsolved issues with neighbors and minorities, refusal to recognize many genocides, four coups d'etat since 1960 (including the 1997 military memorandum, characterized also as a "postmodern coup"), and now, a hardcore suppression of the people protesting against a pertinacious Prime Minister who is planning on tightening alcohol rules and forbidding public display of affection, the political system and governance in Turkey tries to find a way into the European Union.

However, the most dangerous move of the Turkish PM is not his refusal to apologize for the excessive use of violence and the lack of any conversation with the protesters. What could make him look like a leader of previous centuries with a total ignorance of the term "diplomacy" is his indirect (at least until the moment this article was published) call of his supporters to react to the Taksim Square movement. "There is an end to our patience" Erdogan said, with rage in his voice, in front of a crowd that was chanting its will to die for him. Such words, to such an audience, are far from helpful for this social unrest and could lead to clashes between masses of the people, to an uprising and of course to situations beyond any control.

Prime Minister Erdogan should think twice. His intransigence and hence a socially and politically  unstable Turkey, will not be only a national issue, but also a major risk for Turkey's allies during this period of turmoil in the Middle East, and many steps back regarding the country's aims to come closer to the European Union.

New energy roads: Trans Adriatic Pipeline Pt.2

On 13th of January 2013, the trilateral Intergovernmental Agreement regarding the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) was signed. Greece, Italy and Albania took a big step towards the final choice of TAP as the exclusive one to transport the gas from Azerbaijan to Europe, by the Shah Deniz consortium.

The Agreement was signed by the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Dimitris Avramopoulos, the Italian Minister of Development Corrado Passera, and the Albanian Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy Edmond Haxhinasto. The ceremony took place  at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens, Greece, with the presence of officers from the Azerbaijani government, the TAP consortium (Statoil, Axpo, E.ON Ruhrgas) and the Shah Deniz consortium (BP, Socar, Total). It has to be noted that on the occasion of his visit in Greece, Eric Rubin, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State was also present to the ceremony.

The Italian Minister Corrado Passera pointed out the important role of TAP as a strategic infrastructure to strengthen the security of supplying energy  to Europe. Mr. Passera made clear that the plan of his government is to turn Italy into the main gas hub of Southern Europe and added that his country should play an important  role within the general European Energy Policy.

On their side, Greek Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras noted the establishment of a new framework of cooperation with Italy and Albania, and the strategic role of the project for the energy security in the European Union. Mr. Samaras mentioned the advantages of TAP compared to the other pipelines planned for the region (shorter route, lower cost, smalled number of countries involved), and said that Greece is determined to attract even more foreign investors in the country.

Finally, the Agreement was welcomed by the European Commissioner for Energy, Günther Oettinger, who expressed the full support of the European Commission towards the Trans Adriatic Pipeline project and added that this agreement has set the legal framework for the pipeline. "This is another important step towards our aim to get gas directly from the Caspian Region" the EU Energy Commissioner said.

However, for the moment, the members involved in this project can only wait until June 2013 in order to find out if TAP will be the pipeline chosen to transport the Caspian gas in Europe, through the South.

Initially posted by Giorgos Dimitriadis on The Pryer, UK.