Bulgaria and Greece prioritize enhancing energy connectivity
Diversification and deepening of energy connectivity were the main issues discussed between the team of the Ministry of Energy and a delegation from the Greek Embassy at a meeting on Thursday, 29.06.2023, with the participation of Energy Minister Rumen Radev, Deputy Minister Iva Petrova and Karina Angelieva, Head of the Cabinet, the Hellenic Ambassador to Bulgaria, Alexios Liberopoulos, First Secretary Dimitrios Maos and First Counsellor Georgeos Pouleas.
“We are not only neighbours, but part of the European family,” Minister Radev said at the beginning of the meeting, and Ambassador Liberopoulos added that he hoped that both countries would soon be together in the OECD and Schengen.
The Greek ambassador stressed the importance of the country finally having a regular government able to plan long-term priorities. He added that the need had prompted both countries to act rapidly and decisively concerning the gas interconnector when supplies to Bulgaria were suddenly suspended. In such a way, long-term energy security priorities of the whole region should now be addressed as well.
Minister Radev and Ambassador Liberopoulos agreed that Bulgaria and Greece had huge potential for co-operation in the diversification of energy supplies that would enable the supply of secure and affordable energy to consumers. They shared the view that we had not fully developed the links between the two countries, not only in the field of energy, but also in transport, logistics, etc., and demonstrated the will to change this.
In addition to the two prepared Memoranda between Bulgaria and Greece, a possible Memorandum of cooperation on hydrogen production and transport is also considered. Ambassador Liberopoulos said such an agreement could include Romania, which has available possibilities for hydrogen storage.
Minister Radev highlighted that the projects launched so far were progressing well, including increasing the network capacity, and the co-operation between the two countries was gradually going in the right direction.