European Commission Vice President in charge of the Energy Union Maros Sefcovic was on a visit to Bulgaria on Tuesday, September 15, the press office of the European Commission Representation to Bulgaria announced.
In Bulgaria Mr Sefcovic presented the benefits of the Energy Union for the country and Southeast Europe.

Sofia was the latest stop in Maros Sefcovic’s tour in the EU member states’ capitals to popularise the major political priority of the EC in the field of energy.

European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic held meetings with Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Deputy Prime Minister for European Policies Coordination and Institutional Affairs Meglena Kuneva, Deputy Prime Minister for EU Funds and Economic Policies Tomislav Donchev and Minister of Energy Temenuzhka Petkova.

Mr Sefcovic also met with MPs with the parliamentary committees on energy and European affairs.

In the frames of his visit to Bulgaria Maros Sefcovic took part in a conference themed Energy Security and Energy Infrastructure in Southeast Europe, which took place at Sofia Hotel Balkan, and gathered politicians, businessmen and experts from the region.

“I am convinced Bulgaria could be among the countries that could take advantage of the introduction of the Energy Union,” said European Commission Vice President in charge of the Energy Union Maros Sefcovic, speaking at a conference themed “Energy security and energy infrastructure in Southeast Europe”, FOCUS News Agency reported.

“I took into account how difficult the situation in the country is and how important it is for Bulgaria for the right decisions to be made and connectivity between the Balkan countries and Europe is improved. Europe’s policy on climate change and the energy sector seems to be rather a bigger picture of what PM [Boyko Borisov] described. It is about scientific research, decarbonisation, and several other things. However, [it is] mostly about modern technologies,” Mr Sefcovic noted.

In his words, the conflict in East Ukraine makes the situation most apparent for the impact it can impose.

“This made the European Commission leadership to have a general look and to create united, integrated energy market. We are glad having colleagues from other energy communities. Bulgaria can take advantage of the gasification. In this sense Bulgaria becomes a natural hub and can push forward its development,” Mr Sefcovic specified.

“Bulgaria reflects very well what we should do at European level regarding energy security. In both countries Bulgaria and Slovakia when we speak of industry, we always face with basic problems we have to solve,” he added.

“The Bulgarian prime minister and the government think of the country in energy sense,” Maros Sefcovic said.

“40% of expensive electricity bill covers other things. I think that we have to raise energy efficiency alongside with seeking new sources in both European and local level. 15 countries managed to sit at the table and determined 7 leading projects in the coming few years. Three out of the seven selected projects are Bulgarian, but the rest partners from the region also decided them as important.

Interconnections with Turkey, Serbia, and Greece are necessary for strengthening the energy network in the region,” Mr Sefcovic said.

He specified that things were having good impetus in Bulgaria and stated he was sure that they would create together good interconnection between Bulgaria and its neighbouring countries.

“There are all preconditions at hand for this to happen. Besides physical construction there are also other details such as software and operators which have to be secured,” Maros Sefcovic noted.

He stated that the so-called gas package will be returned in the spring.

“We want to provide security of gas supplies, to make contracts more transparent, and better utilisation of the liquid natural gas. We will finish this huge legislative energy package for integration of renewable energy sources in the entire network in the summer,” Mr Sefcovic said further.

“Natural gas supplies between Russia and Ukraine are key problem and we must have a mechanism for action in crisis situations,” the European Commission Vice President in charge of the Energy Union said.

“I will do everything possible for this not to happen again. The next winter will be as it was last year. There is political commitment for reaching an agreement and I believe that everyone in Europe will benefit,” Sefcovic said further.

He commented on the Conference on ClimateChange which will be held in Paris, saying that the objective was a legally binding agreement.

“Europe contributes very much to deal with climate change. We would like to see partner from other parts of the globe. Companies in Europe comply with the EU Commission requirements. Europe will remain leading figure in dealing with climate changes and energy efficiency,” Sefcovic stated.

He said the Paris conference will be extremely important. "This fall, we will present the first report of the Energy Union. I think it will be in the attention of the ministers of energy and environment, but we would like to hear the opinion of the prime ministers, too. I want to create a tradition every December to discuss achievements in the field of energy,” Maros Sefcovic said.