SEE Energy Security and Interconnectivity an EU Priority

European Union officials lead by the Vice-President responsible for Energy Union, Maros Šefčovič and Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete, met with senior Bulgarian officials including Prime Minister Boyko Borissov on Monday to discuss energy supply and security matters impacting the Balkan nation and the South Eastern European region.

According to a statement, EU officials discussed the current energy challenges in Bulgaria, gas infrastructure development priorities for Central and South Eastern Europe and their potential impact for EU security of energy supplies.

There was agreement on the necessity to increase integration of the region and most importantly, provide real diversification of gas supplies to the region and notably Bulgaria.

This requires rapid concrete actions included the creation of the High Level Working Group tasked with advancing the most important cross-border diversification projects in the region and agreed that the group should start its work without delay.

Prime Minister Borissov introduced the idea to turning Bulgaria into a common gas distribution center for EU Member States in the region. Such a gas hub could supply Central and Western Europe as well as countries from the European Energy Community.

Vice-President Šefčovič expressed his strong support for the creation of gas hubs which can play an important role in developing regional gas markets. Pre-conditions for functioning gas hubs are proper infrastructure, transparency, and liquidity and non-discriminatory access to suppliers and customers.

It was agreed that the first meeting of the High Level Group should take place in Sofia and should analyse the energy situation in the region and, amongst others, whether and how these conditions can be met by the creation of a gas hub in Bulgaria.