BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb.16
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
The Ionian Adriatic Pipeline (IAP) is an important project for Croatia, as well as the EU and broader region, Croatian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development told Trend.
“Plinacro, Gas Transmission System Operator, is taking an active role in preparation and implementation of the IAP and are in contact with colleagues from Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said the ministry.
“Further improving of interstate cooperation is in the interest for both of our countries and the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation certainly contributes to the development of bilateral relations. Its work is crucial in establishing direct contacts and activities of companies and other legal entities in line with the goal of encouraging investments and promoting the exchange of information in economic areas.”
Ionian Adriatic Pipeline can be connected to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) to transport gas to many countries in South-East Europe.
The pipeline with total length of 516 kilometers will stretch from Albania through Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, to split in Croatia.
The capacity of the pipeline will amount to five billion cubic meters of gas per year.
TAP has already signed memorandums of understanding and cooperation with the developers of this project, in particular with companies of Plinacro (Croatia), BH-Gas (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Geoplin Plinovodi (Slovenia), as well as with the governments of Montenegro and Albania.
There has been created a TAP-IAP joint working group that gathers regularly to synchronize the timing of both pipeline projects and coordinate the technical issues of interconnection. In particular, Croatia expects to receive approximately 2.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year through the IAP.
Possible time of implementation of the project hasn’t been announced yet.
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