“TAP re-affirms its full and strong commitment to constructing the TAP pipeline project through Greece and ensuring gas deliveries to Europe in early 2020,” the source in the TAP told.

TAP will transport natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan to Europe. The approximately 870 km long pipeline will connect with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border at Kipoi, cross Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Southern Italy.

The length of the TAP pipeline in Greece is approximately 545 kilometres. TAP’s longest section, it will start at Kipoi, near the country’s border with Turkey, and finish at its border with Albania, south-west of Ieropigi.

The Greek section will include one compressor station near Kipoi for 10 bcm and an additional one near Serres should TAP’s capacity be upgraded to 20 bcm. There will be 23 block valve stations along the Greek route.

Greece will receive 1 billion cubic meters of gas per year within the contracts signed with Azerbaijan.

Despite the remarks regarding the commitment to the implementation of this project, the new government in Greece periodically hinted that it would like to get more benefits from the gas transit through the country’s territory.

Nevertheless, TAP consortium earlier said that Greek government fully supports the TAP project and TAP is progressing on schedule in the country.

Currently Greece faces a serious debt crisis which reportedly could be resulted in withdrawal of the country from the euro zone.

On July 5, Greek voters took part in a referendum to determine whether Greece should accept the lenders-proposed bailout plan that envisages serious spending cuts and tax increases. Over 61 percent of Greek citizens said “no” to creditors` bailout proposals.

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