Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy Minister Mr. Panagiotis Lafazanis during his visit to Azerbaijan participated in the first meeting of the advisory council for the Southern Gas Corridor.

Mr. Lafazanis stressed the full support of the Greek Government on the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and its readiness to work for its earliest possible construction.

The Greek Minister was welcomed at the Presidential Palace by the President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev, with whom he discussed the broader context of cooperation between the two countries, expressed the mutual belief of good relations between them and the need for further development which will be of particular importance not only for both countries but for the wider region as well.

Mr. Lafazanis also met with European Commission’s Vice President Maros Sefcovic, in charge of Energy Union, with whom he discussed southeast European energy matters, including the TAP project.

The Minister of Productive Reconstruction met with Bulgarian Energy Minister Mrs. Temenuzhka Petkova, reaffirming the support of the two countries for a fast completion of the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) pipeline and stressed the need to further examine the project’s progress in the near future.

Mr. Lafazanis also held a meeting with Energy Minister of Azerbaijan Mr. Natiq Aliyev, stressing the need for compensatory measures accruing from the construction of the TAP pipeline for Greece, which would be fair for the country and beneficial for the pipeline and all the involved sides. This issue was also raised during the Minister’s meeting with the TAP CEO Mr. Ian Bradshaw. The request of the Greek side was carefully considered by both its interlocutors.

Lastly, the minister met with BP regional president for Turkey-Azerbaijan-Georgia, Mr. Gordon Birrell. Mr. Lafazanis presented Mr. Birrell with the request of the Greek side for compensatory measures from the TAP pipeline. Mr. Birrell, said he is willing to discuss these issues offsets and specific Greek proposals toward this direction.