Greece-Bulgaria gas link starts operation

The gas connection between Bulgaria and Greece is now operational. At 7 o'clock this morning, October 1, Azeri gas flowed through its pipes in the full quantities agreed and at the better prices set. As a consequence, Bulgaria’s public supplier Bulgargaz has submitted a proposal to the energy regulator to reduce the price of blue fuel in the country in October by 34%.

On the occasion of the commissioning of the gas interconnector, an official ceremony was held in Sofia, hosted by President Rumen Radev, who welcomed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, President of the Republic of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski, Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Prime Minister of Romania Nicolae Ciuca.

The Bulgarian National Television was the official media partner of the major international event and broadcast the ceremony live.

President Rumen Radev pointed out that the interconnector is not just an infrastructure project, but a symbol of the growing potential of our region, our successful cooperation and our connectivity.

In Radev's words, this is an opportunity not only for Bulgaria, but also for Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia and many other Central and Southeast European countries.

"Moreover, by awaiting the launch of the hub in Alexandroupolis, we will indeed get real diversification. Therefore, the interconnector is not just an infrastructure project, but a symbol of the increasing potential of our region, our successful cooperation and our connectivity, which contribute to our sustainable development by implementing the joint European strategy."

Caretaker Prime Minister Gulub Donev said that the interconnector has sufficient capacity to meet all domestic needs and will ensure the diversification of sources and supplies of natural gas for Bulgaria, which is key.

The interconnector makes Bulgaria less vulnerable and improves our ability to negotiate, he said.

EC President Ursula von der Leyen described the commissioning of the pipeline as "a new era for Bulgaria and for South-East Europe".

"Bulgaria used to get 80% of the gas it uses from Russia. This was before Putin decided to start an energy war against Europe. This pipeline changes the rules of the game for Bulgaria and for Europe's energy security. This project means freedom from dependence on Russian gas. This interconnector can cover all gas consumption from Bulgaria, which is great news in these difficult times," she said.

She called for a united European response to reduce energy costs for households and businesses and warned that without common EU action, there is a serious risk of fragmentation.

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Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that his country plans to double gas supplies to Europe by 2027.

"Azeri gas has been on the market in Europe for years, and the Southern Gas Corridor is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the region. Azerbaijan is proud to have initiated this corridor and to bring gas to consumers through a new route and from a new source. So far, the only source is from the Caspian Sea, but there are several other gas fields in Azerbaijan that will soon start producing and will contribute to increasing the volumes," Ilham Aliyev said.

The commissioning of the interconnector with Greece is an important milestone not only for Southeastern Europe, but also for Europe more broadly, because the pipeline will boost security of supply and energy for all countries in the Balkans and for all of Europe, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.

He said Greece is playing an increasingly active role in the regional energy hub, which will serve not only Bulgaria but all countries in the region. He gave the example of the Alexandroupolis project, where supplies could be stored and distributed.

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic said that the interconnector between his country and Bulgaria will be ready within a year and thanked the European Commission President for supporting this project.

President of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski called for strengthening the mechanisms of European integration of his country in the context of what is happening on the international scene.

Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca called for accelerating energy diversification in Europe.

Images by BGNES