Baku, 13 March 2025 (MIA) - Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources, Sanja Bozhonovska, has briefed her Azerbaijani counterpart, Parviz Shahbazov, on the launch of the upcoming investment project for construction of gas connector, which, as the two noted at Wednesday's meeting, opens up many opportunities for agreements with Azerbaijan.

"I had a very good meeting yesterday with the Minister of Energy Shahpazov and his deputy. I briefed him on the work of our Ministry, told him that it is new and that work on legislation is currently underway. I also told him that this month we expect signing of agreement and construction of the gas connector, which is very important information for them, and that it will be completed in about 20 months. They said that they are ready to sign an agreement, noting that they are working with 12 European countries, 10 of which are EU members, and they would like to include Macedonia," Minister Bozhinovska said during her visit to Baku, where she held meetings with Minister Shahbazov and Prime Minister Ali Asadov. 

Bozhinovska said she has received invitation to participate in the upcoming Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting, as well as the 3rd Green Energy Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting, MIA reports from Baku. 

According to her, the possibility of joining the planned green corridor and signing a one-year agreement or a long-term, 25-year agreement will be discussed.

"I was invited to a ministerial meeting next month, where the other ministers will be present. There will be another meeting over the creation of green corridors, one of which will end in Hungary and the other in Bulgaria, and we will discuss the possibility of Macedonia joining, by signing a one-year agreement or of course a long-term one, for some 25 years. They also showed great willingness over a visit from their state-owned company SOCAR, with which we have already signed a Memorandum of Cooperation," said Bozhinovska. 

As regards whether such initiatives and announcements will mean larger quantities of Azerbaijani gas and transit, she pointed out that it depends on us.

"First, there should be consumption. We do not spend much. When the connector is built there will be an opportunity for transit, which will be a greater opportunity for us, in the long-term, and better prices, and since we will be at the entrance to Central Europe, it also means transit quantities of gas," Bozhinovska said.

In a press release on Wednesday, the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources said Bozhinovska and Shahbazov agreed at their meeting that Macedonia could become a regional gas transit hub, stressing that Azerbaijan is ready to immediately begin cooperation on specific projects.

Photo: MIA