Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke at the inauguration of the IGB natural gas pipeline, which connects the national natural gas transmission system of Greece with the Bulgarian network and will be able to transport 3 billion cubic meters of gas per year, in the first phase. Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov was also present at the opening ceremony.
“We will not just inaugurate a natural gas transmission pipeline, but a decisive energy bridge that connects the geographical south with the north. The Russian invasion of Ukraine already makes essential, more than ever, the coordinated action of the countries of our continent, against Moscow’s conscious choice to turn natural resources into a lever for exerting political pressure, into a raw blackmail. It is something our Bulgarian neighbors already know very well, first hand. Therefore, our answer is to use energy as a means of mutual aid, mutual support and mutual progress” stressed the Prime Minister in his speech.
“The pipeline will constitute, together with the rest of the energy infrastructures that are being launched, together with the interconnecting axes with North Macedonia, with Italy, a reliable natural gas distribution network to the markets first and foremost of the Balkans, secondarily to Europe itself, while diversifying its sources of supply. They thus strengthen the energy security, the gas supply security of all connected countries. And they become a “barrier” in the artificial energy price rally that – as you know – is eating away at household and business budgets”, the Prime Minister added.
“IGB is an energy pipeline. At the same time, it is a “pipeline of values” that will transfer the message of national security, Balkan solidarity, interstate cooperation and prosperity of peoples. These messages gain particular importance in this disturbed world of ours. In a region where, unfortunately, there still exists an exception of unhistorical aggressiveness, to which, however, responds both global reality and our national preparedness”, the Prime Minister pointed out.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis made a special reference to the personal contribution of the Prime Minister of Bulgaria towards the acceleration and completion of the project:
”I want to make a special reference to the wide, personal persistence of my friend Kiril on the completion of this project. Perhaps he saw ahead of developments. When we first met – I visited him shortly after he took office in Sofia – he told me “we must do everything in our power to finish the IGB earlier”. And indeed, I have to tell you, there was a weekly communication, we became almost de facto project managers of this project and perhaps we foresaw how critical the completion of the IGB was, at a time when Bulgaria has ceased to have access to Russian natural gas”, noted Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
“Coordination is not something that happens just like that. You really need a dedicated leader, a dedicated friend who actually shares the same goal. And what we have proved in the last six months is exactly what happened. I also remember our weekly sms and calls to make this happen. I really appreciate the direct communication with the ICGB leadership and with AVAX, both honorable guests here. And we can show that when we have a goal and we have a mission and we have true leadership from both sides of the borders, this can happen”, stressed in his speech the Prime Minister of Bulgaria Kiril Petkov.
The Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan Parviz Shahbazov also spoke at the opening ceremony. The Managing Director of ICGB Konstantinos Karagiannakos and the Managing Director of the consortium ICGB AD Teodora Georgieva also addressed the audience. The Minister of Environment and Energy Kostas Skrekas, the Minister of Energy of Bulgaria Alexander Nikolov, the Deputy Minister of Interior Responsible for Macedonia-Thrace Stavros Kalafatis, the Regional Governor of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Christos Metios, the Member of the Parliament for the Rodopi prefecture of Nea Dimokratia Evripidis Stylianidis, the Secretary General of Nea Dimokratia Pavlos Marinakis, and the Managing Director of DEPA SA Konstantinos Xifaras attended the ceremony.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Kiril Petkov went to the pipeline facilities, where they symbolically “opened”/turned the natural gas supply valve/tap. After the conclusion of the inauguration ceremony, the two Prime Ministers had a private meeting.
The project’s identity
The IGB natural gas pipeline, 182 km long, connects the national natural gas transportation system of Greece, in the region of Komotini, to the national network of Bulgaria in the region of Stara Zagora.
At its first stage, the pipeline has the capacity to transport 3 billions cubic meters of gas per year, with the prospect of raising this capacity up to 5 billions cubic meters of gas per year.
The IGB project has been included in the Projects of Common Interest of the European Union and it has been supported as a national priority project by the governments of Greece and Bulgaria.
It is a major part of European energy infrastructures, as it improves the connection of Southeastern countries to the Southern Gas Corridor.
Its function, scheduled to begin at a commercial level this autumn, the latest by October 10th, certifies and upgrades the position of Greece as an energy input gate in Europe through alternative routes, at a moment when the European Union is working in order to end its dependence from the Russian fossil fuels.
The project also underlines the strategic importance of Northern Greece to the governmental planning and the energy map in the wider region, as in combination with FSRU – the Floating Storage Regasification Unit – in Alexandroupolis it substantially improves the vertical interconnection of the Greek system to the markets of the Balkans and eastern Europe.
The Prime Minister’s complete speech:
Mr. Prime Minister of Bulgaria, my friend Kiril, dear Ministers, ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by expressing my disgust at the heinous assassination of the former Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe. He was a great politician, the longest serving Prime Minister in the history of Japan and this tragic event has shocked us all.
Ladies and gentlemen, today is/constitutes a very important occasion/moment for Komotini, for Greece, for Bulgaria, but it is also an important occasion/moment for the entire Balkans, for the whole of Europe. Because in a little while we will not just inaugurate here a natural gas transmission pipeline, but a decisive energy bridge that connects the geographical south with the north, bringing closer, in the first phase, Greece and Bulgaria, Athens and Sofia. And the presence of Kiril here with us today, indicates the importance of the IGB for the two friendly countries.
The foundations of this project had been laid since 2009, when the two countries signed the relevant memorandum of cooperation. Later, our Parliaments designated it as a project of national priority, highlighting the significant opportunities it creates/offers for the future. Its completion, however, in the current extremely turbulent international situation – and after we have faced together and with determination the last challenges – features its great value today, giving a strong impetus towards the achievement of the common European goal: the energy autonomy of our continent.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine already makes essential, more than ever, the coordinated action of the countries of our continent, against Moscow’s conscious choice to turn natural resources into a lever for exerting political pressure, into a raw blackmail. It is something our Bulgarian neighbor already knows very well, first hand. Therefore, our answer is to use energy as a means of mutual aid, mutual support and mutual progress. And actions, such as the one today, prove that this goal is absolutely possible.
Greece is taking the lead in this effort, strengthening its footprint two-fold on the new map that is being formed in this particular sector. On the one hand, shielding its own energy independence, as it has succeeded in being one of those countries least exposed in the event of a definitive and full supply interruption of Russian natural gas, and on the other hand, acting as a central energy gateway towards the whole of Europe. With the aim, of course, of the overall green transition of the continent.
The pipeline that we are inaugurating today will be connected to TAP and the presence here of the Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan, a country that supplies TAP with its gas, has a special symbolic value. Thank you very much, dear Minister, for your presence. And it will constitute, together with the rest of the energy infrastructures that are being launched, together with the interconnecting axes with North Macedonia, with Italy, a reliable natural gas distribution network to the markets first and foremost of the Balkans, secondarily to Europe itself, while diversifying its sources of supply. They thus strengthen the energy security, the gas supply security of all connected countries. And they become a “barrier” in the artificial energy price rally that – as you know – is eating away at household and business budgets.
I want to make a special reference to the wide, personal persistence of my friend Kiril on the completion of this project. Perhaps he saw ahead of developments. When we first met – I visited him shortly after he took office in Sofia – he told me “we must do everything in our power to finish the IGB earlier”. And indeed, I have to tell you, there was a weekly communication, we became almost de facto project managers of this project and perhaps we foresaw how critical the completion of the IGB was, at a time when Bulgaria has ceased to have access to Russian natural gas.
Therefore, I am glad that you are with us today and that your persistence motivated all of us to overcome any difficulties and to be able today to launch this important project.
Returning, however, to the great geographical importance of Greece as an energy gateway for the entire European continent, let me focus, in particular, on the priority that our country gives, that the competent Ministry gives, to the Liquefied Natural Gas infrastructure. Because supply, storage and regasification become key to being able to expand our access to natural gas and reduce, de facto/consequently, our dependence on natural gas, which is transported through a network of pipelines from Russia.
To this direction, the function of the new station in Alexandroupolis is strategic and decisive. We were here, along with Kiril, at the official presentation of this great project two months ago. The provision process of this pipeline will start on the premises of this project, which are not too far from here.
I would like to remind you that the Ministry and the National Natural Gas System (DESFA) have already initiated the procedure to add significant storage capacity of Liquified Natural Gas in Revythousa. The ship in question has already arrived and its licensing is expected. In this way, we are significantly raising our capacity to receive liquified natural gas into Greece and of course its capacity to supply it from Greece, firstly to our Balkan friends, and at a later stage – why not – to the entire Europe.
The natural gas from the Greek system, which already reaches central Europe based on the existing network, helps us accelerate this necessary independence from Russian hydrocarbons. At the same time, the Greek government initiates a series of more, important energy projects of common interest for Europe, like for example the electricity connection of Greece, Cyprus and Israel and also the very important electric interconnection with Egypt, through which we can bring clean energy from the sun of Egypt and Middle East to Greece, and from Greece to Europe.
The European Union, as mentioned by people who spoke before me, has repeatedly and in every possible way acknowledged the great strategic importance of IGB. 45 million euros have been allocated for its construction from the energy recovery programme, while structural and investment funds have allocated another 39 million euros. The Bulgarian part has allocated 150 million euros, while the contribution and participation of DESFA has been decisive for the completion of the project.
I would like to thank DEPA Commercial, as well as the staff for the role they play in the materialization of this project.
The contribution of the two Greek companies has also been very important. I am referring to Corinth Pipeworks that offered the raw material and I would like to also stress the importance of the constructions company AVAX – also Greek – which has outdone itself and we are here today able to present the completion of the project, despite the fact that, as you know, these last two years have been extremely complicated in the construction sector, as it had to deal with the consequences of Covid too.
Dear Kiril, this project seals the will of Athens to stand by the side of Sofia. The Revythousa station already covers more than 80% of the everyday demand of our Bulgarian friends. Of course, the supply will be even more reinforced, it will be facilitated through a 182 km long pipeline, which will be able to transport 3 billion cubic meters at its first stage and eventually up to 5 billion. It is full and as soon as it gets authorized it will start supplying natural gas. Moreover, there has been a provision and the pipeline will be able to have a dual-channel system.
So, IGB is an energy pipeline. At the same time, it is a “pipeline of values” that will transfer the message of national security, Balkan solidarity, interstate cooperation and prosperity of peoples. These messages gain particular importance in this disturbed world of ours. In a region where, unfortunately, there still exists an exception of unhistorical aggressiveness, to which respond, however, both the global reality and our national preparedness.
On the contrary, my message to you, dear Kiril and our friends, the people of Bulgaria, is a message of peace and a message of joint progress. And this is proof that Greece and Bulgaria, despite the difficulties, can and wish to stand side by side in the avenue of development. Therefore, I urge that we jointly initiate this project, which symbolizes our friendship, sending out also the certainty that our two countries, and Europe as a whole, will overcome the storms and we will soon reach the calm waters that we wish to reach.
Thank you very much and congratulations to those who have worked for the materialization of this great project.
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