site.btaBulgaria and Azerbaijan Agree to Promote Energy Cooperation

Bulgaria and Azerbaijan will promote their cooperation in the field of energy to ensure the security and diversification of natural gas supplies. Bulgaria has an interest in receiving additional amounts of natural gas from Azerbaijan for its own use and for the region, based on long-term agreements. These were some of the topics on which delegations of the two countries agreed during the sixth meeting of the bilateral Economic Commission in Baku. On the Bulgarian side, the meeting is co-chaired by caretaker Minister of Energy Vladimir Malinov, his ministry reported on Monday.

Malinov said at the talks: "Bulgaria strongly favours the future extension of the Southern Gas Corridor. Active cooperation and further integration of the energy markets in the region of Southeastern Europe will help the two countries respond adequately to current and future energy challenges. Supplies from the Caspian Sea basin contribute substantially to ensuring security and competition on the natgas market. Owing to its excellently developed gas transmission infrastructure, the Bulgarian side can take additional supplies which will improve the energy security in Bulgaria and all Central and Southeastern Europe."

Cooperation under the project to build a Green Energy Corridor was also at the core of the discussions in Baku. Bulgaria favours the project and is working actively as a partner in it, recognizing the need to strengthen national and regional energy security and connectivity in the Black Sea basin, diversify supply sources, tap the potential for energy production from renewable sources in the Caspian region, and increase the share of renewable energy in the national energy mix.

Earlier in the day, Malinov talked with Agriculture Minister Majnun Mammadov, who co-chairs the bilateral Economic Commission on the Azeri side. The two discussed the considerable potential to expand economic exchange between Bulgaria and Azerbaijan in all areas of shared interest: trade, industry, investment, energy, transport and agriculture, among many others. The ministers concurred that deeper contacts in this domain will bring benefits for both countries while raising their bilateral relations to a new level.

The Bulgarian delegation to Baku laid flowers in the Alley of Honour and Martyrs' Lane.