BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 9. The construction of Montenegro’s section of the Ionian-Adriatic Gas Pipeline (IAP) did not progress, says the European Commission, Trend reports.
“The advancement of the project depends on the ability of the government to conclude appropriate public consultations and reach an agreement with concerned municipalities on the preferred alignment,” said the Commission.
The organization says that in the realm of hydrocarbons, national legislation adheres to the Hydrocarbons Licensing Directive. However, the adoption of the Law on safety measures in offshore exploration and production of hydrocarbons is still pending parliamentary approval. Additionally, the exploration period granted to concessionaires for offshore hydrocarbons exploration has lapsed.
The Ionian Adriatic Pipeline has the potential to link up with the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) in order to facilitate the transportation of gas to numerous countries across Southeastern Europe.
This pipeline, spanning a total distance of 516 kilometers, will traverse Albania, extend through Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, ultimately branching in Croatia.
The pipeline's overall capacity is set to reach five billion cubic meters of gas annually. TAP has already formalized memorandums of understanding and cooperation with the project's developers, notably establishing partnerships with companies such as Plinacro (Croatia), BH-Gas (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Geoplin Plinovodi (Slovenia), and engaging in collaboration with the governments of Montenegro and Albania.
To ensure seamless coordination and synchronization of both pipeline projects, a joint working group known as TAP-IAP has been established. This group convenes regularly to address technical interconnection matters and align project timelines.
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