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IPSALA, December 1 (FENA) - Bosnia and Herzegovina's Presidency member Šefik Džaferović, along with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev attended the ceremony in the Turkish city of Ipsala on the occasion of formally marking the completion of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) to the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).
This is a key step in the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor megaproject, which will allow delivery of natural gas from Azerbaijan to Europe. Bosnia and Herzegovina should also be connected to the Adriatic-Ionian region.
Džaferović, who led the delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the event, thanked Turkish President Erdogan and Azerbaijani President Aliyev, on behalf of the BiH Presidency, for their strong support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's involvement in the project.
“This is a big event. We connect a number of countries from the Caspian Sea to the Adriatic Sea. It brings benefits to all our countries. Secure and efficient energy supply is the foundation of modern economies. Without that, functioning of all modern life is impossible. That is why energy has enormous power and energy projects have enormous importance. This project is of that kind,” Džaferović said in a statement for FENA.
He emphasized that it is one of the most significant energy projects on the global map.
“The Trans-Anatolian Pipeline, which brought natural gas from Azerbaijan to Turkey, is already fully completed. Trans-Adriatic Pipeline is under construction and it will bring Azerbaijani gas all the way to Italy. The most important for us in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the third part of this megaproject, the Ionian-Adriatic gas pipeline, which will bring Azerbaijani gas to Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries of the Western Balkans,” Džaferović said.
He added that Bosnia and Herzegovina strongly supports the project and recognizes its exceptional development value and the benefit it will bring to our citizens.
“We are committed to, together with other countries in the region, continue and accelerate activities on the construction of the Ionian-Adriatic pipeline. We are pleased that the European Union has recognized the importance of this project and included it among its strategic goals in the field of energy,” Džaferović emphasized.
The Ionian-Adriatic pipeline will extend from Albania, through Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Croatia, with an estimated capacity of approximately 5 billion cubic meters per year. This will provide a new natural gas supply route for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“This is a project that will bring us greater energy security, diversification of energy sources, great economic and development potential, and a very positive impact when it comes to environmental protection. Energy projects like this connect and unite states and people based on the principle of mutual benefit. That is why they represent a very powerful tool for strengthening peace and stability,” Džaferović concluded.
BiH Presidency delegation included Željko Bakalar, advisor to BiH presidency Chairman Željko Komšić and Ana Tršić-Babić, advisor to BiH Presidency member Milorad Dodik.
(FENA) A. B.
