site.btaBulgaria Expects New Shipment of Pipes for Vertical Gas Corridor

Another ship loaded with pipes for the implementation of the Vertical Gas Corridor project should arrive in Burgas in a few weeks, Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov said in Burgas (on the Black Sea coast) on Thursday. He added that Bulgaria is increasingly asserting its position as a crucial pillar of stability in the region in terms of infrastructure.

"And this is not just in words, but also with concrete actions. We are the first country that a few weeks ago started the actual construction of the Vertical Gas Corridor. This is a project that is supported by the governments of Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia. These are all countries which, over the years, have had dependencies in obtaining gas, which has been supplied via one route from one source. Bulgaria is the one that will help to present an opportunity for diversification in supply," Stankov said.

In Burgas, he participated in the third edition of the Connectivity Forum organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Bulgaria at the International Congress Centre. The event brought together representatives of institutions, the diplomatic corps, business and the non-governmental sector to discuss the development of the Black Sea region and Bulgaria's role in cross-border energy projects.

During the forum, Stankov focused on efforts to improve Bulgaria's energy and digital connectivity. "In the 21st century, we are doing our best to make sure that emotions are not the only connecting element in the Balkans - it is the infrastructure that will provide real stability," he said, stressing that work is also actively underway on future green energy corridors from the Caspian Region that will provide access to emission-free energy for Bulgaria and Europe. The route, he said, would pass through Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkiye and the Black Sea to reach Bulgaria and then Central and Western Europe.

Stankov also touched upon the geopolitical challenges facing the region. "As a father of three, I never expected that in the 21st century I would be worried about wars 400 or 1,000 km away from Bulgaria. I believe that it is the increase in connectivity that guarantees stability," he said.