Bulgaria continues to play a vital role in ensuring Hungary’s natural gas supply, and will remain a dependable transit partner in the future, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó stated in a Facebook post on April 23, following discussions with Bulgaria’s Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov.
“We highly appreciate the responsible attitude of the current Bulgarian government in this matter,” Szijjártó said, noting that the Bulgarian minister had reaffirmed the country’s commitment to reliable gas transit.
Hungary currently receives over 20 million cubic meters of natural gas daily through Bulgaria, with deliveries via the TurkStream pipeline surpassing 2.3 billion cubic meters so far this year.
Szijjártó emphasized the strategic importance of expanding gas pipeline infrastructure in South-Eastern Europe to diversify Central Europe’s energy sources. He welcomed Bulgaria’s plans to significantly boost its pipeline capacity as part of the Vertical Corridor project.
The ministers also agreed on the need for greater European Union involvement in regional energy security and pledged to deepen energy cooperation across the region.