KOMOTINI – The Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) is a crucial energy bridge that is important for Greece, Bulgaria, the Balkans and for Europe, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed on Friday at the inauguration of the new natural gas pipeline connecting Komotini in northern Greece with Stara Zagora in southern Bulgaria.

“What we will soon be inaugurating here is not just a pipeline for transporting natural gas but a decisive energy bridge that will unite the geographical south with the north, initially bringing Greece closer with Bulgaria, Athens with Sofia,” Mitsotakis said, adding that the importance of the pipeline for the two countries was indicated by the presence in Komotini on Friday of the Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov.

Petkov: IGB will end Russia’s monopoly in the region

The operation of the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) natural gas pipeline will change the map of the region, giving new impetus to cooperation and ending the Russian monopoly by granting access to different energy sources, Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said on Friday, in his speech at the inauguration ceremony for the IGB pipeline in Komotini.

Azeri Energy Min Shahbazon says operation of IGB is ‘historic’

The Energy Minister of Azerbaijan Parviz Shahbazon called the operation of the Greek-Bulgarian IGB natural gas pipeline “historic” at the inauguration ceremony on Friday. He said that the pipeline diversifies energy sources and gives a new dynamic to the pipeline that transfers natural gas from Azerbaijan and supplies the IGB.