Sofia, 1 October 2022 (MIA) — The gas pipeline opens a new, reliable gateway for diversifying natural gas supply in Bulgaria and Greece but also in Southeast Europe at a time when the entire continent is facing a hard winter, rising inflation and unemployment, according to President Stevo Pendarovski at the commissioning ceremony of the Greece — Bulgaria gas interconnector on Saturday. Noting that the energy crisis caused by the Russian war in Ukraine happened as the world was dealing with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, President Pendarovski congratulated Azerbaijan on its constructive role in the situation. He also welcomed Greece’s and Bulgaria’s willingness to expand energy infrastructure in the region. “The more interconnected we are, the more resilient we will be to energy challenges of any kind," Pendarovski stressed. “To ensure sustainable development and meet the needs of businesses and households, North Macedonia has to become part of this natural gas network. This is why we are ready to take all the necessary steps in that direction,” he added. According to the head of state, the region urgently needs greater European solidarity. “Pan-European solidarity in action can mitigate the effects of accumulated Euroskepticism, a by-product of the prolonged European integration. “Our citizens expect less rhetoric and more concrete support. “In these circumstances, the best way to mitigate the negative consequences on our economies is for the European Union to approve our accession to its crisis management mechanisms, funds and instruments,” Pendarovski said. He noted that European countries needed to look beyond narrow national interests and to strengthen solidarity and cooperation as the only way out of the global crisis. “This is an ideal opportunity for the slogan ‘Together we are stronger’ to finally materialize,” Pendarovski concluded his speech at the ceremony held at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia. Other attendees included European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Romania’s Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă, and EU’s Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson. Earlier, Pendarovski met with Von der Leyen and will be meeting with Radev as well. They are also scheduled to hold a trilateral meeting together. The President will also lay wreaths at the site of a bus crash on Struma highway, where 45 Macedonian citizens died on Nov. 23, 2021. mr/