Four countries offer help to boost Azeri gas supply to Europe

SOFIA, Sept 30 (Reuters) – The gasoline community operators of Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia have proposed transport extra pure gasoline provide pledged by Azerbaijan to Europe, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev mentioned on Friday.

The EU is looking for various suppliers to Russia due to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Talking at a gathering with Azeri President Ilham Aliev, Radev mentioned the 4 European Union international locations have provided their networks to permit for sooner and cheaper shipments of Azeri gasoline to central, western and southern Europe.

The European Fee in July signed a memorandum of understanding with Azerbaijan to double imports of Azeri pure gasoline to no less than 20 billion cubic metres (bcm) a 12 months by 2027.

“Within the coming years we’ll no less than double the manufacturing and export to Europe. We have now the assets,” Azeri President Ilham Aliev instructed reporters, pointing that his nation has lengthy been a dependable accomplice and provider.

The Trans-Adriatic pipeline, the ultimate leg of the Southern Fuel Hall pipeline community, final 12 months introduced greater than 8 bcm of Azeri gasoline into European international locations similar to Italy. Azerbaijan plans to boost the imports by 40% to 11.2 bcm this 12 months.

Bulgarian President Radev mentioned one other route might be sooner and cheaper to tackle among the further volumes.

“What’s being provided will enable … transport instantly of Azeri provides via the built-in gasoline networks of those international locations,” Radev mentioned.

Radev will focus on the concept with different Balkan leaders and European Fee president Ursula von der Leyen, who arrives in Sofia on Saturday for the official launch of a gasoline hyperlink between Bulgaria and Greece that can initially transport 1 billion cubic metres of Azeri gasoline per 12 months to Bulgaria.

“I’m sure that it will enable not solely Azeri gasoline to come back to Bulgaria but in addition to Europe in greater volumes and can help the vitality safety of the European continent as a complete,” Aliev mentioned.

Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova; modifying by Jason Neely and Louise Heavens

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