Athens, 30 April 2025 (MIA) – Over the next ten days, an agreement will be signed with a Macedonian company for the construction of the interconnector with Greece, on the Macedonian side up to the border, said Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources, Sanja Bozhinovska, who together with the President of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), Marko Bislimoski spoke with MIA’s Athens correspondent about bilateral energy projects with Greece.

Bozhinovska and Bislimoski are attending the 9th Balkans Energy Forum in Athens. At the forum, the Minister addressed the importance of regional energy security, stressing the importance of the Balkans to build a common energy future. The ERC President presented the country’s plan for transitioning from coal to hydrogen and natural gas and outlined the country’s long-term energy policy and potential investment opportunities.

Bozhinovska and Bislimoski are attending the 9th Balkans Energy Forum in Athens. At the forum, the Minister addressed the importance of regional energy security, stressing the importance of the Balkans to build a common energy future. The ERC President presented the country’s plan for transitioning from coal to hydrogen and natural gas and outlined the country’s long-term energy policy and potential investment opportunities.

During the panel discussion, Bozhinovska also referred to the interconnector with Greece and told MIA that the agreement for constructing the Macedonian section up to the border will be signed in Skopje by May 10, noting that a previous tender had been unsuccessful.

“We did everything to make the new tender successful, reducing the cost by €12 million. We were waiting for the European Investment Bank, and though it was initially planned for January, the agreement will be signed by May 10 with the selected top-ranked Macedonian company. This is the EBRD’s last project providing funds for gas, marking their final investment in the sector,” Bozhinovska said.

Two and a half months ago, Terna company started the preliminary work on the Greek section of the natural gas interconnector that will link the two countries.

“We have 22 months, and I hope things will move quickly and effectively. This will provide additional alternative, as we are currently only connected to Bulgaria. We are also in talks with Serbia, where we need to build only 26 kilometers on our side. We held discussions here with the Serbia’s Deputy Minister about financing, and we will be able to serve as a transit country for Central and Eastern Europe,” Bozhinovska noted.

Regarding other projects with Greece, she also referred to electricity market coupling.

“This is the only condition for the CBAM regulation (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) to exempt us from payment when it comes to electricity. However, the most important thing is for the law to pass, and them our MEMO will be nominated as market operator, and from that point, it will take another 18 months for market coupling to be possible. We are working on this, with financial institutions also involved. I believe we have good regional cooperation, and it will happen within a reasonable time,” Bozhinovska said.

Energy cooperation with Greece exists at the level of Regulatory Commissions, and the long-standing collaboration was officially formalized in February when both presidents signed a Memorandum of Cooperation.

The ERC President Bislimoski told MIA that Macedonian experience with water services will be shared with the Greece’s Regulatory Authority for Energy, Waste and Water (RAAEY).

“The Greece’s Regulatory Authority for Energy, Waste and Water took responsibility for setting tariffs for water services and municipal waste a year ago, and most of the cooperation will focus on these sectors. They want to utilize our experience, as we are already implementing and setting water tariffs. We will also develop methodologies for municipal waste, and the cooperation we have with the Greek, Albanian, and Kosovo regulators regarding market coupling, or the integration of electricity markets, will continue,” Bislimoski said.

Energy Law introduces all European regulations in the country

Minister Bozhinovska and President Bislimoski spoke to MIA about the new Energy Law, which is in parliamentary procedure, stressing its importance and the introduction of all European regulations.

Bozhinovska said that it is one of the most important laws "because, according to our obligations to the Energy Community, it should have been adopted back in 2023."

“It is very important because all European regulations are being introduced and implemented here. For the first time, batteries, or the storage of electrical energy, are being regulated, and civil communities are being formed. For the first time, a methodology for measuring energy poverty is being developed. With this law, MEPSO will be under the authority of the Ministry of Energy, which is normal and expected. It also covers oil and gas. There are many aspects to it, as it is a very comprehensive law with 317 articles,” Bozhinovska noted.

Bislimoski underlined that with this law, we become equal to all EU member states. “The latest European legislation regarding energy is being implemented here as well. What is important, in terms of managing the systems, is that great attention is being paid to battery systems, especially to regional cooperation, where part of our responsibilities are transferred to the Energy Community Regulatory Board and to the European Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators, of which we are a part. All in all, in this regard, we are becoming as if we are an EU member state, because we have neighboring EU countries and the markets must be connected under the same rules,” Bislimoski said.

They pointed out that the biggest challenge in the near future will be drafting and adopting bylaws and regulations.

Bozhinovska noted that, for the first time, this law was drafted with our own capacity, without foreign consultants, and was prepared by the Ministry of Energy. It is now in procedure, and it is expected to be adopted within a month at the latest.

Sanja Ristovska

Photo: MIA