The European Investment Bank
on Tuesday gave the TransAdriatic Pipeline (TAP) project a 1.5
billion euro loan. The TAP will bring Azeri natural gas through
Greece, Albania and the Adriatic to reach Italy and tap into its
natural-gas network. The EIB said that after "detailed
discussions" by its board, it had approved one of its largest
ever loans. The TAP is part of the natural gas market's Southern
Corridor and is thus among the EU's strategic energy projects.
There have been protests in Puglia over olive-tree removal for
the construction of the Italian hub, even though the tree will
be replaced in their original sites once construction is
complete.
photo: police keep protesters at bay in Puglia
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