Gazprom will redirect the Black Sea gas pipeline from Bulgaria to Turkey.

Minutes after President Vladimir Putin's statements that Russia is halting the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline to Bulgaria, Gazprom CEO Alexi Miller announced plans to put a pipeline with the same handling capacity to Turkey with a prospect of reaching the boundaries of the European Union.

South Stream's redirection to Turkey eliminates the issue of relevance of the South Corridor gas pipeline system being built to ship gas to the export Black Sea gas pipeline and the investment made to buy pipes and pipeline laying services under Southstream Transport BV arrangements.

"Let us tackle problems as they emerge," Miller said when asked to comment on contracts under the offshore part of the South Stream project already signed.

President Putin earlier said that the Netherlands, as the country of Southstream Transport BV's respiration, had given its permission to lay the pipeline, pursuant to the European Union's requirements.