Bulgaria is actively working for the construction of the interconnector

Caspian Energy (CE): In November 2018 Sophia hosted the 5th session of the Azerbaijani-Bulgarian Joint Commission on Trade-Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation. As a Co-Chair of the Commission from the Bulgarian side, which issue do you consider important in mutual relations of the two countries?

Temenuzhka Petkova, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Bulgaria: Azerbaijan is an important economic partner for us, with whom we want to develop long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation. In this connection, the fifth meeting of the Bulgarian-Azerbaijani Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation took place in Sofia between 6 and 8 November, 2018. A business forum was organized within the framework of the meeting with the participation of a commercial mission of Azerbaijan companies. 

Political relations have been excellent at the level of strategic partnership between the two countries and I think that the time has come for them to grow into a fruitful economic partnership. I can say that energy is a leading industry when we talk about the Bulgarian-Azerbaijani relations. This strategic partnership includes the supply of Azerbaijani natural gas to Bulgaria from the Southern Gas Corridor. In addition, we also discussed future joint deliveries of Azerbaijani natural gas through the territory of Bulgaria to other countries of the region, via the interconnector Greece-Bulgaria, the existing gas transmission system of Bulgartransgaz and through the strategic project for “Balkan” gas hub. We consider Azerbaijan as one of the key suppliers of natural gas for “Balkan” hub. Ano­ther excellent opportunity to develop our bilateral relations is the investment of SOCAR in the gas distribution sector in Bulgaria.

We are working hard to promote and strengthen bilateral cooperation also in other industries such as agriculture, tourism, transport, light and food industries, industry, pharmaceutics, etc. Our aim is to increase and diversify bilateral commodity turnover, as well as to promote Bulgarian investments in Azerbaijan and attract Azerbaijani investments in Bulgaria accordingly.

I would like to point out the significant contribution of my colleague - co-chairman of the intergovernmental commission from the Azerbaijan side- Minister Inam Karimov, with whose help we have managed to conduct a very successful meeting. I am convinced that the events held will give a strong boost to bilateral economic contacts in all sectors of mutual interest and will outline new, even clearer prospects for their development.