The leaders of Bulgaria and Greece discussed bilateral co-operation in the energy sector on Monday, focusing on reducing their dependence on Russian gas through the rapid completion of a key interconnection pipeline connecting the two neighbors, the Associated Press reports.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the first European leader to visit Bulgaria since forming a new government, met with Bulgarian counterpart Kiril Petkov and President Rumen Radev.
"The project (for gas interconnector) is of strategic importance for Bulgaria and Greece and both countries have already agreed to complete it as soon as possible," Mitsotakis said after the meeting.
The interconnector is important for Bulgaria because it will mark the first break in the Russian monopoly on the Bulgarian gas market. Thus, the country will be connected to a gas pipeline that transits Azerbaijani gas from Greece to Italy.
Bulgaria already has a deal with Azerbaijan to import one billion cubic meters of gas a year, or nearly a third of the country's consumption.
Speaking about the chances of EU membership for the Western Balkans, Mitsotakis said Athens supports the official start of talks with northern Macedonia and Albania as soon as possible, subject to the membership criteria. Northern Macedonia's membership has been delayed by Bulgarian demands, and as the two countries' path to the EU is connected, Albania has also been delayed, the Associated Press reported.
Mitsotakis also called on Turkey to "end the provocations in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean ... if it wants to normalize bilateral ties and relations with the European Union."
Asked by reporters about the challenges facing Greece and Bulgaria over immigration pressure, Mitsotakis said their external borders are also European.
"Both sides are defending [borders] effectively, respecting human rights," he said.
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