Italy's Eni, Gazprom Sign Deal For Black Sea Gas Pipeline

Russian Energy and Industry Minister Viktor Khristenko (file photo) (epa) June 23, 2007 -- Italy and Russia's main energy companies have signed a deal to build a gas pipeline from Russia to Bulgaria via the Black Sea.

The deal was announced at a news conference in Rome today by Paolo Scaroni, head of Italy's Eni, and Gazprom executive Aleksandr Medvedev.

Present at the event were Italian Industry Minister Pierluigi Bersani and Russian Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko.

The pipeline will be called South Stream.

(AP, Il Sole 24 Ore)

The Post-Soviet Petrostate

The oil-export terminal at Primorsk, Russia (TASS)

WEALTH AND POWER. At an RFE/RL briefing in Washington on January 24, Freedom House Director of Studies Christopher Walker and RFE/RL regional analyst Daniel Kimmage argued that energy-sector wealth is preventing many former Soviet countries -- Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan -- from developing strong democratic institutions.