The EC calls for the acceleration of the start-up of the gas pipeline for the transit of Azeri gas to Bulgaria

The European Commission calls on all interested parties to accelerate the adoption of the necessary steps for the soon launch of the Greece-Bulgaria Interconnector (IGB). This is written by the Azerbaijani publication Trend.az, referring to a statement for the publication by the EC. The information recalls that not long ago the former Minister of Energy of Romania, Razvan Nicolescu, sent a letter to the Commissioner of Energy, Kadri Simson, with a request to take measures to accelerate the launch of the Greece-Bulgaria interconnector, which provides for the transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Bulgaria.

“We can confirm receipt of the letter and will respond promptly. The IGB is a project of common EU interest and we see it as an important element of the infrastructure needed to diversify supply in South-Eastern Europe and strengthen the internal energy market. So, we call on all stakeholders to expedite the necessary steps for an early launch of the IGB," said the representative of the European Commission.

He added that the EC has provided political and financial support to the project from the very beginning.

"For the IGB, 45 million euros were allocated under the European Energy Recovery Programme, and 39 million euros were received from structural funds. In addition, the project received a partial exemption from the rules for third party access to the gas system. The commission maintains regular contact with the project company and regulatory authorities, as well as with the governments of Bulgaria and Greece throughout the implementation process, including the last few months. We are now carefully monitoring the final stages of the project's implementation, including those related to certification," concluded the representative of the European Commission.

The IGB gas pipeline ensures the transportation of gas and supplies from new sources, which makes it a key element for Bulgaria's energy security and is part of the national plan for diversification of sources. The transmission capacity is 3 billion cubic meters with the possibility of an increase to 5 billion. Half of the capacity of the gas pipeline is already reserved, the publication adds.

As is known, a day ago IGB was connected to the national gas transmission network of Bulgaria. It is also connected to the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline.