November 27 (SeeNews) - Bulgaria said on Friday it plans to build a gas link to the border with Serbia in the next up to 30 months as part of a strategy to diversify its supply routes.
The country plans to allocate 60 million euro ($89.4 million) under its Regional Development operational programme, financed by the European Union, for the Bulgarian stretch of the gas link that will connect the southwestern town of Dupnitsa with Nis, in southeastern Serbia, Bulgarian Deputy Energy Minister Maya Hristova told reporters on the sidelines of Bulgarian 2009 - 2013 Economic Visions for European Development, a two-day conference organised in Sofia by the Bulgarian Economic Forum (www.biforum.org).
The Serbian side will also seek European financing for the project, Hristova said, adding that the the countries launched talks on the initiative last week.
The project has been in the works since 2005 but gained traction after a gas crisis in early 2009 when Russia cut supplies to Bulgaria and other southeast European states following a price dispute with Ukraine. Bulgaria relies on Russian gas for more than 95% of its gas needs delivered via a single pipeline through Ukraine.
Bulgaria also plans gas links with neighbouring Romania and Greece as further supply route options.