Greece, Serbia, North Macedonia and Bulgaria Advance Vertical Gas Corridor Expansion

Energy ministers and senior officials from Serbia, Greece, North Macedonia and Bulgaria met today in Athens to discuss the development of regional natural gas supply routes and cross-border interconnections. During the meeting, Greek Minister of Environment and Energy Stavros Papastavrou announced that the Vertical Corridor initiative would be extended to include North Macedonia and Serbia.

Greece, Bulgaria and Romania have already achieved significant progress in developing the Vertical Corridor, a strategic gas route designed to facilitate supplies toward Ukraine and Moldova. Key milestones include infrastructure upgrades, the construction of new pipelines such as the Interconnector Greece–Bulgaria (IGB), as well as commercial agreements and dedicated capacity auctions. The same approach is now being applied to the western Balkans through the creation of an additional branch of the corridor.

The Athens meeting focused primarily on two major gas interconnection projects: Greece–North Macedonia and North Macedonia–Serbia. The Greece–North Macedonia pipeline is currently under construction and is expected to be completed this year. Once operational, it will allow natural gas to flow northward from Greek LNG terminals at Revithoussa and Alexandroupolis, as well as from pipeline gas sources, including Azerbaijan.

Serbia Plans EUR 1.2 Billion in Gas Infrastructure Investments

The next segment of the regional gas chain, linking North Macedonia with Serbia, is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, according to Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović. The project is currently in the spatial planning phase and is designed to connect with the southern Serbian city of Vranje. Its planned annual transport capacity is 1.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas.

Minister Đedović Handanović also stated that Serbia intends to invest approximately EUR 1.2 billion in gas infrastructure, including the modernization and expansion of existing pipeline networks.

North Macedonian Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources Sanja Božinovska emphasized that the regional interconnection would soon become operational.

“By the end of next year, we will be ready and the interconnection between Greece, North Macedonia and Serbia will be operational,” she said.

She also confirmed that the tender procedure for the pipeline connecting North Macedonia and Serbia was launched yesterday.

Greek Minister Papastavrou highlighted the broader strategic importance of the initiative, stressing Greece’s role in shaping the region’s emerging energy architecture.

“Greece plays a leading role in the new European architecture through projects of strategic importance. Infrastructure, interconnections, market coupling and the Vertical Corridor are initiatives that strengthen security of supply, reinforce geopolitical stability and create new development opportunities across the region. Today, we agreed on the expansion of the Vertical Corridor to North Macedonia and Serbia, as well as on institutionalizing cooperation among the four countries,” he stated.

Bulgaria was represented at the meeting by Deputy Minister of Energy Kiril Temelkov.

Further Regional Meetings Planned

The four officials agreed to continue their cooperation through a series of follow-up meetings. The next session is scheduled for September in Belgrade, with subsequent meetings planned in Skopje and Sofia.

The Athens discussions were also attended by representatives of gas and electricity transmission system operators from all four countries, underscoring the technical and strategic importance of the planned regional energy integration.

April 29, 2026

by AEA in News

Aktor LNG USA–Albgaz Deal Signals Structural Shift in Western Balkans Gas Market

A landmark long-term gas supply agreement between Aktor LNG USA and Albania’s state-owned Albgaz marks a significant step in the transformation of Southeast Europe’s energy architecture, reinforcing both market diversification and geopolitical realignment.

The agreement, valued at approximately $6 billion, establishes a 20-year framework for the delivery of liquefied natural gas (LNG) sourced from the United States, with contracted volumes of around 1 billion cubic meters annually starting in 2030.

From Hydro Dependence to Gas Integration

For Albania, the deal represents a structural pivot away from near-total reliance on hydropower toward a more diversified energy mix. The introduction of long-term LNG supply contracts provides a stable foundation for baseload generation, system balancing, and regional trading capacity.

The agreement is not limited to commodity supply. It is complemented by a memorandum of understanding between Aktor Energy USA and the Albanian government to develop an integrated energy hub, including a planned gas-fired power plant with an estimated capacity of 380 MW.

This integrated approach reflects a broader transition strategy: linking fuel supply, infrastructure development, and power generation into a single investment framework.

Infrastructure First: Vlora and the Missing Gas System

A central component of the strategy is the planned development of LNG infrastructure in Vlora, which is expected to evolve into a key entry point for imported gas. Until domestic infrastructure is completed, supply will be routed through Greece, leveraging the Revythoussa LNG terminal and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) for onward delivery into Albania.

This transitional routing underscores a critical reality: Albania’s gasification remains at an early stage, and the success of the agreement depends heavily on timely infrastructure deployment.

The Vlora energy hub concept—combining LNG import, regasification, and power generation—positions Albania not merely as a consumer, but as a potential transit and redistribution node for the Western Balkans.

The Vertical Gas Corridor: Strategic Context

The deal is embedded within the broader framework of the “Vertical Gas Corridor,” a US-backed initiative aimed at expanding north–south gas flows from Greece into Southeast and Central Europe.

According to Aktor leadership, the agreement is intended to unlock the corridor’s full potential, enabling the distribution of American LNG across multiple Balkan markets and reducing dependency on traditional supply routes.

The corridor concept is particularly relevant as Europe continues to recalibrate its gas supply strategy, with long-term LNG contracts increasingly viewed as essential for supply security beyond 2030.

Geopolitical and Market Implications

The presence of US and Greek stakeholders highlights the geopolitical dimension of the agreement. The United States is actively expanding its LNG footprint in Southeast Europe, using infrastructure and long-term contracts as instruments of strategic influence and market integration.

At the same time, Greece reinforces its role as a regional energy gateway, providing the initial infrastructure backbone for LNG imports and transmission into the Western Balkans.

The agreement also signals potential regional expansion. Discussions are already underway to extend LNG supply arrangements to additional Western Balkan markets, including Serbia and North Macedonia, as interconnection projects progress.

Commercial Structure and Market Significance

From a market perspective, the deal reflects several emerging trends:

Shift toward long-term LNG contracting as a hedge against future supply tightness and price volatility
Integration of infrastructure and supply agreements to de-risk investment in emerging gas markets
Growing role of private-sector intermediaries (such as Aktor LNG USA) in structuring cross-border energy flows

The estimated contract value—around $6 billion over 20 years—indicates a substantial commitment for a relatively small market, underscoring Albania’s ambition to scale beyond domestic demand and participate in regional gas trade.

Execution Risks and Critical Dependencies

Despite its strategic significance, the project faces several execution risks:

Infrastructure delivery risk, particularly the timely development of LNG import capacity and internal gas networks
Demand risk, given Albania’s currently limited gas consumption base
Regulatory and market integration challenges, especially in aligning with EU gas market frameworks

The reliance on interim routing through Greece also introduces transitional dependencies that must be carefully managed.

Conclusion: From Peripheral Market to Emerging Energy Node

The Aktor LNG USA–Albgaz agreement is more than a supply contract—it is a foundational step in repositioning Albania within the regional energy system.

If successfully implemented, it could transform the country from a hydropower-dependent system into a flexible, gas-integrated market with regional relevance. More broadly, it reinforces the Western Balkans’ gradual integration into European energy networks, underpinned by transatlantic LNG flows and new infrastructure corridors.

The real test, however, will lie not in the signing of the agreement, but in its execution—particularly the alignment of infrastructure, regulation, and market demand over the coming decade.