Serbia has successfully completed the interconnector to a pipeline in Bulgaria which would allow the Balkan country to diversify its gas supplies and reduce its dependence on Russia.
Reuters reported that the interconnector will make operational the pipeline from the town of Novi Iskar in Bulgaria to the Serbian city of Nis, allowing Belgrade to access gas from Azerbaijan and LNG terminal in the Greek port of Alexandroupolis.
The capacity of the pipeline on the Serbian side is 1.8 cubic metres a year, which accounts for 60% of the country's annual gas needs.
The European Commission donated €49.6 million for construction of the interconnector.
Another €25 million was secured in a single loan from the European Investment Bank while €22.5 million was provided by Serbia.
"With this interconnector we are securing alternative gas supplies, apart from the Russian gas," Serbian energy minister, Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said.
European countries now account for half of all Azerbaijan's gas deliveries, while Baku is on the way to doubling its gas supplies to Europe to 20 billion cubic metres by 2027.
Azerbaijan is considered by Europe as an alternative source of energy imports amid a deep political fallout with Moscow over the war in Ukraine and sharp cuts in Russian gas purchases.
Gas pipeline interconnector successfully completed
