Serbia, Bulgaria Complete Gas Pipe to Reduce Reliance on Russia

(Bloomberg) -- Serbia and Bulgaria have completed a pipeline project that aims to reduce reliance on Russian gas by providing diversification of supply. 

The pipeline spans 170 kilometers (106 miles) from the Serbian city of Nis to the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital, with an annual capacity of 1.8 billion cubic meters. That could cover as much as 60% of Serbia’s consumption.

The new link will enable Serbia to access alternative gas supplies from Greece or Azerbaijan, while also providing Bulgaria with access to gas from Western Europe or the Adriatic Sea.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev attended the opening ceremony in Nis on Sunday. Work on the project started in February. 

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