Italian President Sergio Mattarella on July 18 said during a visit to Azerbaijan that Italy is committed to the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).
Italy is at the end of the planned Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), which is to deliver gas to Western Europe from Azerbaijan’s giant Shah Deniz 2 gas field in the Caspian Sea, which cost $28bn to develop. Pipelines that will transport the gas across Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey are already complete but TAP is not and there have been fears that the new government in Rome is doubtful as to whether the project should be finished.
An Italian government source reportedly told Reuters that while it was now committing to the pipeline, it may seek to shift its path to limit its environmental impact. Activists have protested that the arrival of the pipeline will lead to the destruction of olive groves in Southern Italy.
"I think they will move [the pipeline] to avoid the olive trees," the source, who has knowledge of the dossier, was quoted as saying.
Don’t just follow the news—understand it.
The IntelliNews PRO service includes access to reports, exclusive market data, and more news that decision-makers care about. Stay ahead of the market with IntelliNews PRO.
Sign Up NowRelated Articles
Iran industry minister says central bank should not interfere in trade policy
Iran's industry minister has said the central bank should be stripped of its role in trade policy, blaming foreign exchange interventions for constraining exporters and creating challenges for ... more
Saudi Arabia convenes emergency Arab-Islamic ministerial talks in Riyadh as Gulf War enters third week
Saudi Arabia is hosting an emergency meeting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers in Riyadh on March 18, as the US-Israeli war against Iran enters its 19th day with no sign of a ceasefire, the ... more
More than 2,000 evacuated from Iran via Azerbaijan
Dutch and Algerian embassy staff have been evacuated from Iran into Azerbaijan through the Astara border crossing on March 10, as the total number of people evacuated via the route since the start of ... more