TIRANA, Albania, May 15. Albania plans to expand cooperation with Azerbaijan on gasification, the country's Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Ceno Klosi said in response to Trend's question at a doorstep briefing ahead of the Sixth European Political Community Summit, set to take place on May 16 in Tirana.
"We have an excellent relationship with your country. We see Azerbaijan as one of our closest strategic partners, especially in the energy sector. Our country is developing very rapidly in the energy field, but to be honest, we’re still lagging behind in the gas sector. We’re fortunate that the TAP pipeline runs through our territory, but at the moment, we’re not yet using that resource. That’s why, through our cooperation with your country—with Azerbaijan—we’re pleased that this will become the first project through which Albania begins to use gas as an energy source," he said.
According to the deputy minister, this is exactly why Albania considers the 'Nur' project for the gasification of the city of Korça to be a strategic initiative. As the country’s first pilot gasification project, it will pave the way for future development and expansion of cooperation and additional gas-related projects.
"We view Azerbaijan as a country with extensive experience in this area. Of course, our country is investing heavily in renewable energy production. But as you know, renewable energy cannot function independently without being balanced by other sources. That’s why it’s important for us to first diversify our energy sources, and then expand them further to ensure energy independence," he added.