Montenegro relies on the experience of Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR in gas supply, Minister of Economy of Montenegro Dragica Sekulic said in an interview with Trend.

"SOCAR’s experience in oil and gas field is invaluable and we rely on SOCAR’s expertise and advice when it comes to natural gas," she said.

Sekulic noted that it is up to SOCAR to decide the model in which they would like to formalize their participation in IAP, and Montenegrin government is certainly open and listening, and will consider all proposals with utmost attention.

"Azerbaijan has already demonstrated and proved its role of solemn and large investor in Montenegro and I expect that to be passed on to the energy sector, which would further strengthen our already very good economic relations," said the minister.

Montenegrin government believes SOCAR’s involvement in the activities related to the gasification of Montenegro and development of IAP project are of greatest importance, she added.

Alongside with the Energy Community, SOCAR is the observer in the Project Management Unit (PMU) for IAP project.

IAP is a proposed natural gas pipeline in Southeastern Europe (SEE) that will stretch from Albania through Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Split in Croatia. It will be connected with the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).

IAP will provide deliveries of Azerbaijani gas to several countries of South-Eastern Europe. The capacity of the pipeline will amount to five billion cubic meters of gas per year.

Masaim Abdullayev,

“Khalq qazeti”