South Stream pipeline
© Sputnik/ Ramil Sitdikov
Russia, Hungary and Serbia have returned to the negotiating table on the issue of building the South Stream gas pipeline, Hungarian Foreign and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto said Friday.

"Hungary, Russia and Serbia have resumed talks on South Stream gas pipeline construction," Szijjarto said, as quoted by the local MTI news agency, noting that the negotiated pipeline capacity was less compared to initial plans.

Szijjarto noted that Hungary would hold consultations with the European Commission and Bulgaria with regard to the pipeline.

In December 2014, Russia announced a halt in the work on the South Stream gas pipeline, which was set to span Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary, citing differences with the European Union. The initial South Stream pipeline's annual capacity was expected to amount to 63 billion cubic meters of gas. Instead, Russia engaged in a new gas pipeline project, dubbed Turkish Stream, which provides for gas delivery to Turkey and then to European countries through Turkish territory.