President Radev: Bulgaria-Serbia Gas Interconnector Is Guarantee for Diversification and Security

Jerusalem, 10 December, 2023 (TPS) -- President Rumen Radev, who is on a working visit in Serbia on Sunday at the invitation of his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic, attended the commissioning ceremony of the Bulgaria-Serbia Gas Interconnector. At the ceremony, Radev said that the pipeline is changing the energy map of Europe, as it is a guarantee for diversification and security.

In his speech, the Bulgarian head of State said: “Today, we are not just connecting our gas transmission networks. The interconnector is a symbol of the increased technological capabilities of our countries, of the successful cooperation”.

The Bulgarian President called 2023 a successful and fruitful year in which Serbia, Bulgaria and Azerbaijan set an example of consistent work and dedication for a more secure future. He recalled that in February, he and Vucic launched the construction works for the interconnector in Bulgaria, adding that in April he and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev launched the Solidarity Ring initiative.

Earlier Sunday, Radev and Vucic held a bilateral meeting.

The gas pipeline will have a length of 170 km (62 km in Bulgaria and 108 km in Serbia) and a planned transmission capacity of 1.8 billion cubic meters per year with reverse flow capability. The EU co-funded the Bulgarian section of the pipeline with EUR 27.6 million under the Connecting Europe Facility Energy program and EUR 6 million from structural funds. The Commission has also funded the Serbian section of the pipeline with an EU grant of EUR 49.6 million through the Instrument of Pre-Accession scheme. The project is necessary to enable Serbia to diversify gas supplies, reduce import dependence on Russian gas, and provide alternative supply routes in South-East Europe.