After the recent visit of Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic to Azerbaijan, the construction of the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline and gasification of Montenegro is again in focus
The novelty, compared to previous conversations conducted on this subject, writes Dnevne Novine daily, is that Azerbaijan’s state-owned energy company SOCAR plans to conduct a feasibility study and thus help the realization of the project of gasification of Montenegro and Albania.
“The national energy company Socar plans to develop a feasibility study of the gas infrastructure in Montenegro and Albania and thus make efforts to reduce European dependence on Russian natural gas supplies”, Azerbaijani media quoted.
The information that the company Socar assistance to Montenegro and Albania in the realization of this energy very important project for both countries was confirmed by the president of the Azerbaijani state oil company, Rovnag Abdullayev.
“We worked on the project for gasification of Albania. Montenegro recently joined this process and now we are planning to prepare a feasibility study for this large project”, said Abdullayev.
Djukanovic explained it is Montenegro’s obligation to be ready for the pipeline, which will be built from Azerbaijan, via Greece and Albania, to Italy.
“Our obligation in the meantime is to prepare infrastructure for the Adriatic gas pipeline that will run from Albania to Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, thus ensuring sufficient quantities of gas to supply our markets”, added Djukanovic.
Realization of this project will cost a total of 700 million euros. According to the feasibility study, the total length of the pipeline would be 510 kilometers, of which 249 km would be passing through Croatian territory, 94 km through Montenegro and 167 km through Albania.
Construction of the Adriatic-Ionian gas pipeline would help Montenegro create all conditions to introduce this cheaper energy to its industry and households. And there’s also the benefit of higher budget revenues.
According to earlier estimates, the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline passing through the territory of Montenegro would annually bring around 21 million euros, for the transit tax alone.
