Bulgaria and Greece will work on drafting a joint strategic document to be presented to the Council of Energy Ministers, containing specific proposals to accelerate the integration of the energy market, Bulgaria's Ministry of Energy reported on July 10, after a meeting between Bulgarian Minister of Energy Iva Petrova and Greek Minister of Environment and Energy Stavros Papastavrou that took place in Athens. The overall goal is to build a reliable and efficient energy system in Southeast and Central Europe.
The energy ministers also participated in the working meeting of gas transmission system operators from the countries along the Vertical Corridor – Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Moldova – as well as representatives from North Macedonia and Serbia. They discussed progress on the construction of the Vertical Gas Corridor and opportunities for expanding the initiative.
Petrova said: "Today, we are no longer talking about plans or intentions. There has been real progress, and it is the result of the joint efforts of all partners in the initiative. When we started this project, our goal was to diversify Russian gas supplies. Its significance is now much greater."
She stated that in the current geopolitical environment, energy security is inextricably linked to sustainability, economic security, and national security. "That is why it is extremely important to maintain the momentum and even further accelerate our efforts. The region must come up with a clear proposal backed by strong political support," she added.