site.btaSerbia-Bulgaria Gas Interconnector to Be Finished by November 12 - Serbian Energy Minister

Serbian Mining and Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic on Friday toured the construction site of the Serbia-Bulgaria gas interconnector and said that this strategically important pipeline will be completed in the first two weeks of November, the Danas daily reported.

"Work on the gas interconnector has entered its final phase, some 98% of the works have been executed so far. We expect construction to be completed in the first two weeks of November, so that we can start obtaining the required authorizations to ensure that the gas pipeline will go into operation over the following weeks. The Ministry is monitoring daily the implementation of this project and will continue to do so until its completion," Djedovic Handanovic said.

On Friday she visited the custody transfer station in Trupale near Nis and held a working meeting with contractors and other participants in the project.

The Energy Minister pointed out that the gas interconnector with Bulgaria is of strategic importance for Serbia as it will diversify gas supply sources.

"This interconnector will enable us to link up with gas from Azerbaijan and the LNG terminal in Greece via Bulgaria, in addition to Russia, which is an important and steady source of gas supplies," Djedovic Handanovic said. "We are negotiating with an Azerbaijani company and until the end of November expect to sign a memorandum of understanding with Azerbaijan's Energy Ministry, as well as a sales agreement between the Azerbaijani supplier and the Srbijagas [distribution] company," she added. The Minister expects supply of natural gas via the interconnector to start before the end of 2023.