The US Department of State’s Acting Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs, Mary Warlick, expressed a strong interest in Bulgaria’s regional gas interconnection projects, especially the IGB, to link Greek and Bulgarian gas transmission systems, during a meeting with leading Bulgarian government officials.

The developing energy partnership between Greece and Bulgaria, seen as crucial for energy security in southeast Europe, has drawn the attention of the USA amid its rivalry with Russia.

Besides Greek-Bulgarian energy cooperation, Warlick and the Bulgarian officials, Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zakharieva, also discussed other Bulgarain strategic plans in the energy sector, such as gas transmission interconnections with Turkey, Serbia and Romania.

In comments following the meeting, Zakharieva stressed that these projects are pivotal for energy supply diversification, not only for Bulgaria but the entire southeast European region.

Commenting on the Greek-Bulgarian IGB project, Zakharieva noted that the project’s development would enable a natural gas link between Europe’s north and south. Transmission of major Azerbaijani natural gas amounts, exceeding one billion cubic meters, would be possible once the Trans Adriatic pipeline begins operating, the Bulgarian official informed.

The IGB project also dominated a meeting in Sofia several days ago between Greek energy minister Giorgos Stathakis and his Bulgarian counterpart Temenuzhka Petkova. The two officials agreed on a final IGB market test to take place in autumn. Gas traders will be expected to submit binding bids for allocation of pipeline capacity.

Respective National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) funding available to the two countries through the EU funding program has been ensured for the IGB project.