Azerbaijan is a key partner for Bulgaria in its efforts to improve energy security and achieve energy diversification on a regional and European scale. Bulgaria has the opportunity to increase gas transit supplies.
This is what National Assembly Speaker Rosen Zhelyazkov said at his meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, reports BGNES special envoy in Baku.
Rosen Zhelyazkov stressed to President Ilham Aliyev Bulgaria's opportunities to increase gas transit supplies to both the Western Balkan countries and Europe along the South-North axis.
Zhelyazkov also said that the excellent relations and strategic dialogue between Sofia and Baku are increasingly important for the diversification of energy supplies to the Bulgarian economy, especially after Russia's military aggression against Ukraine.
The Speaker recalled that in October 2022 the Greece-Bulgaria interconnection was put into operation, and in 2023 the one with Serbia, with which Bulgaria started receiving in full the contracted quantities of Azerbaijani natural gas and increased its transit capacity.
Rosen Zhelyazkov stressed to President Ilham Aliyev Bulgaria's opportunities to increase gas transit supplies to both the Western Balkan countries and Europe along the South-North axis.
Last year a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between five gas transmission system operators from Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Azerbaijan to double gas exports from Baku to the European Union, Zhelyazkov reminded, specifying that the launch of the interconnector between Bulgaria and Serbia significantly contributes to energy security in Europe.
For his part, Aliyev stressed that the relations between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria are not only friendly, but have been elevated to the level of strategic partnership, which has opened a new page in the bilateral ties.
"Thanks to this, Bulgaria had the opportunity to become a transit country for Azerbaijani gas, which is already a fact. We highly appreciate the partnership in this sphere," the President said.
