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The BRUA gas pipeline is a project with strategic value for both Romania and the European Union, say representatives of the GAZ Romania Trade Unions Federation, who totally disapproves of the opinions recently launched in the public space by various people and organizations in reference to its so-called lack of utility.
"The GAZ Romania Trade Unions Federation, a nationally representative organization that represents the interests of employees in the gas industry - employees of Transgaz, Romgaz, E-ON and Engie, takes note of the referral of the Gas Transport Trade Union and totally disapproves of the opinions recently launched in the public sphere by various persons and organizations, with reference to a so-called lack of utility of the BRUA gas pipeline and points out that this is a project of strategic value for both Romania and the European Union, a fact also proven by the support received from all decision factors," reads a press release of the Federation sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday.
According to the cited source, the BRUA Interconnector represents an essential stage in the development of the national natural gas transmission system. "With its commissioning, Romania will connect to the regional transport corridors and will be able to ensure its supply of natural gas from new sources, which will satisfy to a greater extent the existing demand on the domestic market and will lead to a higher level of predictability and energy security for the Romanian consumer."
According to the Federation, BRUA will also be a gateway to European markets for the potential production of natural gas extracted by our country from the Black Sea.
"Last but not least, the BRUA gas pipeline is also a reason for national pride and continuity of the tradition that Romania has in the energy field. Let's not forget that the first industrial oil refinery in the world was built in Romania, in 1856; we are the first country in the world with an oil production officially registered in international statistics; Romania exported the first quantity of gasoline in the world and the first natural gas transmission pipeline in the world was also built in our country," the release further mentions.
All the prerequisites are therefore created for the support and development of investment projects in the natural gas sector, so that Romania becomes a regional leader in terms of energy, so that future generations no longer depend on a single source of natural gas supply and our country can become energy-independent.
"From the perspective of Transgaz employees, the BRUA gas pipeline, like other major investment projects, means not only a decision of the company's management, but also the concrete work of thousands of the company's employees, who have worked and work in earnest, responsibly, with professionalism and devotion," say the representatives of the GAZ Romania Trade Unions Federation.
The press release states that all these projects are carried out through the continuous effort and involvement of the company's employees, employees represented by the Gas Transport Trade Union, and disregarding them implicitly means underestimating the work of thousands of people.
"We consider all public statements regarding the lack of economic and strategic value of the BRUA gas pipeline to be unreasonable and unrealistic. Therefore, the GAZ Romania Trade Unions Federation, on behalf of the Gas Transport Trade Union, publicly conveys the message of firm support for this project which brings important benefits economically and socially, both at national and European level, including by creating new jobs during the execution of works, infrastructure development, contributions to the local, national and European economy, by stimulating other investments," the release further says.
The BRUA project aims to ensure access to new gas sources, as well as to facilitate the transport of Caspian gas to the markets of Central and Eastern Europe. The project provides two-way transport capacity of 1.5 billion cubic meters per year to or from Bulgaria and 4.4 billion cubic meters per year to or from Hungary.
The project was declared to be of strategic importance by the European Commission.
The Romanian section of the pipeline should be completed in December 2020 and requires a total investment of 480 million euros, of which 180 million euros is a grant from the European Commission.
