The Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) natural gas pipeline connecting the two neighboring countries was inaugurated on Friday in the city of Komotini in northern Greece, the Greek national news agency AMNA reported.
The 182-km new pipeline connects Komotini with Stara Zagora in Bulgaria and will link to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which transports natural gas from Azerbaijan to Europe via Greece.
The IGB will have an initial capacity of three billion cubic meters, with an option to upgrade to five billion cubic meters in the future, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said at the ceremony.
“This is a significant moment for the Balkans and Europe. … Our two countries and Europe as a whole will overcome the tempest,” he said according to Greek national broadcaster ERT, referring to the current international energy crisis.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov noted that the IGB is part of overall efforts to enhance energy security in the wider region by bringing energy into the European market from diversified sources.
Azerbajian’s Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov also attended the inauguration. ■
