Athens, 2 May 2023 (MIA) - Only by investing in photovoltaics, renewable energy sources, and regional connections will we achieve energy independence, said Nomagas CEO Bajram Rexhepi in a conversation with a MIA's Athens correspondent, also adding that energy is used as a powerful geopolitical weapon.

Rexhepi, who attended the Delphi Economic Forum VIII in Greece, spoke to MIA about the importance of the energy network between countries, the two big projects with Greece, the natural gas interconnector and the liquefied natural gas terminal in Alexandroupoli, and the lessons learned from the energy crisis.

"Unfortunately, we have come to learn that energy is used more and more as a powerful geopolitical weapon, so we need to establish complete independence energy-wise as soon as possible. Majority of investments will have to go towards photovoltaics, renewable sources, and of course in regional networking, since many different countries have different sources of energy", states Rexhepi.

He points out that this relationship will help stabilize the entire energy system, not only on a regional but also on a European level.

“I hope that the coming years will be very important for investments in this type of relationship between countries, and I hope that very soon we will be energy independent of those geopolitically oriented sources of supply”, he points out.

Regarding the interconnector with Greece, for which the market testing is already completed, Rexhepi explains that we are trying to speed up the process.

"At this moment there is an open call and supervision offers are in the process of evaluation, and I hope that in the next few weeks this will be finished and we will get to announce it. We are already preparing the call for construction works, and we have also closed most of the financial construction. We are planning on starting the construction works for this very important interconnector sometime during the third quarter of this year”, emphasizes Rexhepi.

The second major project, which North Macedonia is also involved in, is the liquefied natural gas terminal in Alexandroupoli, and the CEO of Nomagas explains that Power Plants of North Macedonia (ESM) has purchased 10% of the capacities, and is in process of signing the necessary contracts, expecting that it is going to be finalized by the end of the year.

"We had some problems with our partners from Bulgaria regarding the purchase of their share. We are working hard on defining a road map, and I hope that we will get to sign it soon, because it is going to establish a possible future collaboration between us and them, and I am sure that by the end of this year we will have that finished, and that we will finally become 10-percent shareholders in this very important liquefied natural gas terminal in Alexandroupoli", declares Rexhpi for MIA. ssh/ik/

Sanja Ristovska

Translated by Simona Shurbanovska

Photo: MIA