Proposed Gas Hub in Bulgaria to Cost EUR 2.2 B, PM Borisov Says

Building a gas distribution centre in Bulgaria to serve South Eastern Europe and the EU would cost EUR 2.2 B, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said on Monday.

Addressing the first meeting of the high-level group on the construction of gas links in Central and South Eastern Europe, Borisov said that Bulgaria is offering a number of advantages that make it suitable for becoming a gas hub.

"Bulgaria has a well-designed national gas transmission grid, a gas depot, and domestic oil and gas fields, which are being developed. These are just some of the advantages and opportunities that our country offers," Borisov said.

According to the European Commission, "timely implementation of infrastructure is particularly important in view of the vulnerable situation of the Central Eastern Europe and South East Europe region."

The objective of the high-level group is to establish a regional priority infrastructure roadmap and advance its implementation in order to develop missing infrastructure and improve security of gas supplies, the EU Commission and the representatives of Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia said in a joint statement following the meeting in Sofia.