An important step in the expansion of regional energy cooperation was taken with the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the companies participating in the Vertical Corridor initiative. DESFA and the participating companies formally welcomed NOMAGAS of North Macedonia and Transportgas Serbia of Serbia to the initiative, further expanding the Vertical Corridor into the Western Balkans.

The signing took place in Thessaloniki, on the sidelines of the 10th Southeast Europe Energy Forum (SEEF), in the presence of the Greek Deputy Minister for the Environment & Energy, Nikos Tsafos, the Bulgarian, Minister of Energy, Iva Petrova, the North Macedonian Minister for Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources, Sanja Božinovska, the Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Recovery, Infrastructure and Transport, Artem Rybchenko, the Serbian Assistant Minister for Energy and Mining, Jovana Joksimović, the Romanian State Secretary of Energy, Cristian-Silviu Bușoi, the Honorary Consul of Hungary in Thessaloniki, Dimitrios Takas and the Honorary Consul of Slovakia in Thessaloniki, Dimitrios Papastavrou.
The ceremony was also attended by U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, U.S. Special Envoy for Energy Joshua Volz and U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in North Macedonia, Nicole Varnes.

With the addition of the two new members, the Vertical Corridor now brings together:

  - Greece: DESFA, Gastrade
  - Bulgaria: ICGB, Bulgartransgaz
  - Romania: Transgaz
  - Hungary: FGSZ
  - Slovakia: Eustream
  - Ukraine: GTSOU
  - Moldova: Vestmoldtransgaz
  - North Macedonia: NOMAGAS
  - Serbia: Transportgas Serbia

The expansion reflects the continued cooperation among the participating companies, with the support of the Energy Ministers of the countries involved, strengthen security of supply, diversify supply sources and routes, and enhance regional interconnectivity.

Through the new MoU, the participating companies will further coordinate the development and operation of their interconnected transmission systems, focusing on optimizing the use of existing infrastructure, identifying additional infrastructure needs, enhancing bidirectional gas-flow capabilities and expanding cross-border capacity. Cooperation will also continue at regulatory, technical and commercial level, with the aim of making the Vertical Corridor more flexible, competitive and attractive to the market.

With the participation of North Macedonia and Serbia, the Vertical Corridor is expanding further into the Western Balkans, strengthening its key role as a regional energy route connecting diversified supply sources with markets across Southeast and Central Europe.

Maria Sferruzza, CEO of DESFA, stated: “Today’s signing marks an important milestone for the Vertical Corridor and for regional energy cooperation. The participation of North Macedonia and Serbia significantly expands the initiative’s geographical reach and strengthens the connections between Southeast Europe and the Western Balkans. By working together, the participating TSOs can make better use of existing infrastructure, support new interconnections, and create greater flexibility for the region. This cooperation is essential to building a more interconnected, resilient and competitive energy market and to further strengthening Greece’s role as a gateway for diversified energy supplies to the wider region.”

The new MoU reinforces the participating companies’ commitment to the further development of the Vertical Corridor as a strategic component of the region’s energy security and interconnectivity.

About DESFA

The National Natural Gas System Operator (DESFA) S.A. is responsible for the operation, management, exploitation and development of the National Natural Gas System and its interconnections, in a technically sound and economically efficient way, in order to best serve its Users with safety, reliability and adequacy.

Contributing decisively to the security of supply and the diversification of supply sources of the wider region, DESFA also facilitates the development of competition in the Greek energy market, while systematically striving for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Possessing extensive experience and having a highly skilled staff, DESFA is a reliable partner in the framework of the ongoing international energy projects in Southeastern Europe.