Athens, 8 May 2026 (MIA) – We can play a constructive role by strengthening our own interconnections and integrating into a more developed natural gas network in Southeast Europe, Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources, Sanja Bozhinovska, said in an interview with the Greek online media outlet Energygame. She added that “our direct contribution is promoting projects that better connect us with Greece and Serbia,” which in her view, can help “position the country as an active part of regional energy flows,” MIA’s Athens correspondent reported.

She explains that the concrete benefits are clear: greater security of supply, increased competition, better access to alternative supply sources, stronger conditions for industry and a more attractive investment environment, while strategically, “our role as a reliable partner in the European agenda for energy diversification is also strengthened.”

She also pointed to diversification as a key prerequisite for energy security, stressing that for a small, import-dependent energy system, “diversification is a matter of resilience, competitiveness and national security,” particularly following recent geopolitical developments in Europe.

“For our country, this comes down to three practical priorities. First, we need to ensure access to different sources and routes for natural gas and oil products. Second, we need to strengthen the electricity transmission network and cross-border cooperation, because no country in Southeast Europe can build energy security alone. Third, we need to accelerate domestic production from renewable energy sources and the modernization of networks, so that the green transition also becomes a security policy,” Bozhinovska said.

She added that energy security and the green transition “are not viewed as opposing priorities,” stressing that a successful transition must be secure, economically affordable and socially sustainable.

Bozhinovska also referred to the new National Energy and Climate Plan, which she said is particularly important as it sets a framework for increasing investments in solar, wind and hydro energy, improving energy efficiency as well as gradually reducing dependence on coal, stressing that “the approach is pragmatic” there is no green transition without security and no long-term security without diversification and decarbonization.”

She also underscored that EU financial instruments are of key importance, but also that “the region needs faster, more predictable and more flexible support for strategic energy infrastructure.”

“For the region, the priority is clear: financing infrastructure that connects markets, supports the integration of renewable energy sources and strengthens energy security. This means electricity interconnections, routes for natural gas diversification, grid modernization, energy storage, energy efficiency and just transition projects. The Western Balkans should become part of Europe’s energy solution,” Bozhinovska said.

Regarding the Thessaloniki–Skopje oil pipeline, which was reactivated after a 13-year pause, she explained that in today’s geopolitical environment, every additional operational route strengthens resilience, reduces dependence on road transport, improves the predictability of the supply chain, and contributes to a more secure fuel supply.

“For our country, the oil pipeline strengthens security of supply of petroleum products and supports more efficient import processes. For Greece, it strengthens the role of Thessaloniki and Greek infrastructure as a regional energy and logistics hub. For Southeast Europe as a whole, its strategic importance is broader: it shows that existing infrastructure can be reactivated and modernized to meet today’s energy security needs. This is not only a bilateral project. It fits into a broader logic of regional resilience, where oil pipelines, ports, LNG terminals, electricity lines and gas interconnections create a more stable and flexible energy system,” Bozhinovska said.

Regarding the main obstacles to accelerating energy interconnections in the Western Balkans, she explained that they are technical, but also regulatory, financial and institutional. She also stressed that regional markets are of key importance, noting that “small national markets are more exposed to instability, limited liquidity and supply disruptions,” while with connectivity “electricity and natural gas can be directed more efficiently where there is demand,” strengthening competition and allowing prices to be formed in a more transparent and flexible environment.

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