In the presence of the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, the Prime Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr. Boyko Borissov and the Republic of Greece Mr. Alexis Tsipras declared the political support of the two countries for the completion of the Greece-Bulgaria interconnector project. The declaration was signed at a European Council meeting in Brussels.

The document highlights that the countries support an ambitious time schedule for implementing the project's activities. According to the declaration, the construction works on the Greece-Bulgaria gas pipeline are planned to begin by the end of 2018. The interconnector should enter into operation in 2020, when the first deliveries of Azerbaijan natural gas through the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline are expected. The Prime Ministers of Bulgaria and Greece will closely monitor the implementation of the project activities in order to ensure its timely realization.

The Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria is a strategic project for the diversification of sources and routes for the supply of natural gas to the Southeast European region. Its construction will provide Europe with natural gas from additional sources, in particular from the Caspian region through the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline, as well as liquefied natural gas from Greece. The Greece-Bulgaria Interconnector is among the seven priority projects for the EC and is part of the CESEC Initiative for Gas Connectivity in Central and Southeastern Europe. The implementation of the pipeline will contribute to connecting the energy markets, increasing competition and ensuring security of gas supplies in Southeast Europe.