Eventually, financial pressures and the deepening bite of economic sanctions in Russia, combined and lower energy prices worldwide, caused Putin to announce that Russia would be withdrawing from the project. The shocking announcement was made on December 1st, 2014, during Putin’s official state visit to Turkey. According to Putin, Russian gas “will be re-targeted to other regions of the world.”
The cancellation of the South Stream natural gas pipeline project is not only a victory for forces opposing Russian president Putin, but also for Bulgarians who have opposed the project on environmental grounds. No doubt the former East Bloc nation will suffer economic consequences as a result but looking at these exquisite images of Bulgaria’s natural scenic sea & sky beauty and the accompanying peaceful suburban bliss, any losses would appear to be outweighed by the potential gains secured by retaining the status quo. (all images via Impact Press Group/WENN.com)

