North Macedonia and Serbia are joining the Vertical Corridor, the pipeline network carrying gas north from Greek shores toward Bulgaria, Romania and, eventually, Ukraine. Grid operators from the two countries will sign a memorandum in Thessaloniki on Friday, on the sidelines of the Southeast Europe Energy Forum.
Their addition is a critical step toward completing the corridor and extending it into Western Balkan markets. It also opens a new supply route for landlocked Central European markets such as Hungary and Slovakia, letting them diversify their gas sources more quickly by drawing on the global market.
The signing follows a visit Thursday by operators, including the new North Macedonian and Serbian delegations, to the LNG terminal at Alexandroupolis in northeastern Greece. Gastrade, which operates the terminal, briefed the delegations on its capacity, its contribution to regional energy security, its role in developing new supply routes, and the safety and environmental standards it runs under.
The Alexandroupolis terminal is a key piece of infrastructure and entry point for the corridor, underpinning its efficient and competitive operation.
Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou met the operators at the terminal, underscoring the strategic importance of the Alexandroupolis FSRU to Greek and European energy policy and security, and reaffirming the government’s support for initiatives that strengthen the country’s role as an energy gateway to Southeastern and Central Europe.
A working meeting followed that afternoon to finalize the memorandum’s expansion. Joshua Volz, a special envoy from the US Department of Energy, addressed the group, pointing to the importance of regional cooperation and energy infrastructure in weaning the European Union off Russian gas through diversified supply sources and routes.
Source: OT.gr
