Mitsotakis: Greece has quadrupled gas exports to neighboring countries and will play an important role in the energy security of the region

Greece intends to play an important role in ensuring the energy security of the region. Since last year, the country has increased gas exports to neighboring countries 4 times. This was stated by the Prime Minister of the country, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Energy cooperation and communications were one of the main topics of the trilateral Greece-Bulgaria-Romania summit held in Varna on Monday, Mitsotakis said at a joint press conference of the three prime ministers. It was broadcast live by the Greek public broadcaster ERT.

According to Mitsotakis, such projects as the modernization of the Greece-Bulgaria-Romania gas pipeline are extremely important. "Greece plays and seeks to play a central role in the energy interconnection between our countries. Since last year, we have increased the export of natural gas to our northern neighbors 4 times. The IGB gas pipeline has completed one year of operation and we are transporting fuel to Moldova, thus ensuring energy security for the whole of South-Eastern Europe," Mitsotakis said.

The Prime Minister of Moldova was also invited to the meeting, but he was unable to arrive and was represented by the Minister of Energy. "We agreed to deepen our cooperation, both bilaterally and multilaterally, and also in the wider region, as evidenced by the presence of the Minister of Energy of Moldova," added the Prime Minister of Greece.

Speaking about Athens' further plans, he stated that the floating LNG storage and regasification terminal in Alexandroupolis would soon be inaugurated.

According to him, Greece will continue to invest in renewable energy sources. "We will continue to invest in renewable energy sources and we want to turn our country and the entire region into a center for international connectivity and distribution of green energy, with Bulgaria and Romania being the first, which requires the strengthening of electrical connectivity. They have a special place in the new regional energy vision we are developing," Mitsotakis said.

The meeting also discussed the development of transport, railway networks connected to strategic ports. "We welcome the initiative of the European Union to create a map of a new freight railway corridor between the Baltic, Black and Aegean seas," the Prime Minister of Greece also said.

As is known, Bulgarian Prime Minister Denkov is today hosting a Trilateral meeting with the Prime Ministers of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Prime Ministers of Romania, Ion-Marcel Cholaku, which is being held at the "Euxinograd" residence near Varna. The presence of the Vice-President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, and the European Commissioner for Transport, Adina Valyan, is scheduled for it. As well as the Minister of Energy of Moldova Victor Parlikov.