Russia and Croatia on Tuesday signed an agreement on cooperation in the construction and exploitation of gas supply pipelines in Croatia.
The document, signed after talks between Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor in Moscow, will make it possible for Croatia to join the South Stream project.
Addressing a joint news conference, Kosor said that the agreement set up a legal framework for Croatia's inclusion in the South Stream project.
The two countries inked another two agreements during Kosor's visit to Russia: one on economic, scientific and technical cooperation and the other on reciprocal visits by Croatian and Russian citizens.
Kosor added that she was "extremely glad" that Croatia and Russia had signed the three agreements.
Speaking about the agreement on cooperation in gas business, she said that the document paved the way for establishing a joint venture by Russia's Gazprom and Croatia's Plinacro in which each would hold 50 percent of the stock.
"Details will be discussed further, but for Croatia it is extremely important that this agreement confirms the supply of gas to Croatia," Kosor said.
Kosor said she was pleased that Croatia, which would soon complete its European Union entry talks, in this way joined EU member states such as Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovenia that were already participating in this project, which provides for the transportation of Russian natural gas to central Europe.
Putin said that this was the right time for Croatia and Russia to give fresh impetus to their economic relations, which he said had seen a decline last year due to unfavourable economic conditions in the world.
One of the ways to achieve this is to diversify our business relations, cooperate in investments and implement major joint projects, particularly in energy and infrastructure, where one of the best examples is the implementation of the South Stream project, the Russian PM said.
He recalled that the project enjoyed wide international support, with Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, Serbia and Slovenia already participating in it.
It is evident that all the participants will benefit from the project, Putin said.
