Romania is ready to play its role as a trustworthy partner in ensuring Europe’s energy security, assured the Romanian Prime Minister on Saturday, in Sofia, at the launch event of the commercial operation of the Greece – Bulgaria Interconnector, according to Agerpres.

Nicolae Ciuca assessed that the deficiencies in the supply chain, especially with gas, „artificially created by Russia”, have an impact not only on Europe, but also on the global energy markets.

„Deficiencies in the supply chain, especially gas, artificially created by Russia, have an impact not only on Europe. They create disturbances in global energy markets and have generated unexpectedly high costs for our partners in different parts of the world. Any step undertaken to increase regional and – on a wider scale – European energy security has a stronger connotation today, when reliable, affordable and secure energy supply is the key to meeting our recovery and resilience objectives,” said the Prime Minister, in Sofia, at the launch event of the commercial operation of the Greece – Bulgaria Interconnector.

He added that the commissioning of the Greece-Bulgaria Interconnector „significantly contributes to the diversification of natural gas supply”.

„Although the event we are participating in represents a moment of celebration for the developers of the project and for all its beneficiaries, we must remain realistic and recognize that it is necessary to accelerate the process of diversifying sources and supply routes, because Europe must reduce in a faster pace Russia’s dependence on fossil fuels. The energy crisis felt by the whole of Europe has united us even more in our efforts to find solutions to ensure the energy needs both for this winter and for the future, respecting the principles of sustainability and environmental protection. In addition, regional cooperation and the solutions developed together are the key to success, because individual action does not provide sufficient answers in times of crisis,” Nicolae Ciuca emphasised.

The Romanian Prime Minister said that the completion of the Vertical Corridor is part of such solutions, as it will facilitate gas transit to Central and Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans, by connecting the Southern Corridor and the BRUA gas pipeline.

„This will provide access to the gas resources of the Caspian Sea, as well as to the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in northern Greece. At the same time, all of us here are aware that investments in natural gas exploitation and infrastructure of related transport are longer-term investments, because our economy needs natural gas to support the transition towards the neutrality of carbon dioxide emissions, which we want to achieve by 2050,” the head of the Bucharest Executive stressed.

Nicolae Ciuca congratulated all those who, over the years, have invested political will, resources and technology to turn the Greece-Bulgaria Interconnector project into reality.

Agerpres