site.btaGreece-Bulgaria Gas Interconnector Company Provides BGN 305,000 in Grants to Small Municipalities in Bulgaria and Greece

The Independent Transmission System Operator ICGB provides grants to all municipalities along the Greece-Bulgaria interconnector route with a focus on small settlements. The campaign will donate a total of BGN 305,442 to 12 municipalities. It will cover 64 villages in Bulgaria and seven in Greece, the ICGB said on Tuesday.

The initiative is part of the transmission operator's long-term commitment to supporting communities and protecting the environment in the areas along the Greece-Bulgaria pipeline route. The interconnector is 182 kilometres long and passes through the areas of Haskovo, Dimitrovgrad, Stara Zagora, Kardzhali and Komotini.  

The funds are earmarked, and each locality can decide individually what to spend the money on, the company said. Thus, ICGB provides municipalities with the opportunity to cover their location-specific needs. Applications have already been submitted for the use of funds for the purchase of agricultural machinery, equipment for public sports grounds, support for local sports teams, and supplies for the renovation of churches.

The ICGB is developing a number of initiatives under its Livelihood Restoration Plan, focusing entirely on the regions along the pipeline route in Bulgaria and Greece. The company has already successfully carried out a donation campaign to support farmers with a total of 74 tonnes of fertiliser, enough for a 10-year period. The transmission operator regularly conducts educational programmes for local communities on safety rules and crisis response related to the operation of the pipeline, the statement noted.