The European Union confirmed at the meeting of Minister of Energy the financial support for Albania – Macedonia interconnection electrical line 400 kV. The Ministers of Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia gathered in Vienna in a meeting with EU high ranked officials, on behalf of Berlin Summit initiated by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Present in the meeting was the Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn and the meeting was led by the Director of the Energy Community Secretariat, Janez Kopac. Albania was presented at the meeting by its Minister of Energy and Industry, Damian Gjiknuri which is currently the head of the Presidency at the Energy Community Secretariat .
During the discussions was declared that the interconnection line project will be included in IPA 2015 program and is predicted to commence during the next year, after the finalization of Albania – Kosovo interconnection line. The participant Ministers said that Southeastern Europe countries must have a joint regional energy market which must be open, competitive and independent.
Albanian Minister of Energy Gjiknuri briefed the participants with the latest developments in the Albanian energy market and the performance of the energy reform. “The European Union would be a huge supporter for countries of Balkan and to have as prior infrastructure and energy projects. We seek support for the TAP important project, since it serves the diversification of sources for several Balkan countries,” declared Gjiknuri.
At the end of the meeting, the Ministers agreed on approving a common declaration which precedes the Summit of Prime Ministers which is due to be held on August 27th in Vienna.
News source/photo credits: ATA
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