Another country eluding Putin. Bulgaria and Greece inaugurated a new gas pipeline

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Bulgarian Prime Minister Kirill Petkov inaugurated a gas pipeline that has been under construction for 12 years to connect the city of Komotini in northern Greece with Stara Zagora in southern Bulgaria.

Gas Link (IGB) Komotini – Stara Zagora Opens Bulgaria’s access to the Southern Gas Corridor.

The 182-kilometer gas pipeline will supply Bulgaria with a third of the gas it needs. It is the amount of fuel that guarantees the needs of all heating plants in the country.

Azerbaijani gas will flow through the interconnection line. According to the agreement signed in 2013, Azerbaijan will supply Bulgaria with 1 billion cubic meters. gas annually for 25 years. Bulgaria uses about 3.5 billion cubic meters of gas annually, and since April 27 it has not received fuel from Russia, because Sofia – like Poland – refused to pay Moscow in rubles.

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From December 2021, Bulgaria and Greece accelerated the construction of the electric interconnection line. This was the first case that outgoing Prime Minister Petkov dealt with after taking office.

Azerbaijani gas began flowing to Bulgaria a week ago, but it was transferred in a different route, via Nea Mesemvria – the connection point between the TAP (Trans-Adriatic) gas pipeline and the Greek DESFA gas pipeline system. This is the case until the fall, when the IGB is expected to start using it.

Bulgaria and Greece inaugurated a new gas pipeline

Bulgarian operator Bułgargaz confirms this IGB will be operating at full capacity before the next heating season The country’s demand for gas will be fully met.

On April 27, Russia suspended gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria. For four or five years Bulgaria is trying to get rid of its economic and energy dependence on Russia. Until now 76 percent of the gas consumed in Bulgaria comes from Russia. As of 2018, it was close to 100%.

As we wrote in Business Insider, The country’s political environment is deeply divided On economic cooperation with Russia and aid to Ukraine. Russia plays a role in strengthening the divisions in Bulgaria. Vladimir Putin feels that another country is moving away from Russia’s sphere of influence.