A plenary session of the Green Middle Corridor Ministerial took place in Budapest, with high-ranking officials from the governments of Georgia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Azerbaijan in attendance. The session focused on key areas of strategic partnership for the development and transmission of green energy.

Notable speakers included Georgia’s First Vice-Premier and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Levan Davitashvili, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov, Romanian Minister of Energy, Ioan Burduja, and Bulgarian Minister of Energy, Zhecho Stankov.

Also representing Georgia at the session were Giorgi Gigineishvili, General Director of Georgian State Electrosystem JSC, and Tamar Liluashvili, Georgia’s Ambassador to Hungary.

During his address, Levan Davitashvili emphasized, “Together, we are shaping the future of energy in the region, and we will achieve our shared goal of a clean, connected, and secure energy future. To turn this vision into reality, we must intensify our efforts and strengthen cooperation to transform plans into actionable results. I sincerely thank our partner countries and stakeholders for their active support.”

Davitashvili also noted that the ministerial participants agreed on Bulgaria’s participation in the Black Sea Submarine Cable (BSSC) project. He highlighted the importance of completing the technical-economic feasibility study, currently underway by an Italian consulting firm, and expressed optimism that the study would be finalized by the end of the second quarter, allowing the project to enter the implementation phase.

“I am confident that we can grant a full mandate for the realization of this flagship project, which will ensure energy security for all of Europe. This initiative not only benefits the South Caucasus and the Caspian region but is also a key project for the long-term, sustainable energy development of the entire European continent,” stated Davitashvili.

The First Vice-Premier also noted that each participating country has an extensive energy promotion agenda, with Georgia playing an integral role. “We are implementing significant support schemes for renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, and hydropower. We’ve conducted two competitive auctions for private developers under the Contract for Difference (CFD) mechanism and have engaged in direct negotiations with developers who can invest in viable energy projects. Currently, Georgia has around 10,000 megawatts of potential renewable energy capacity, which can be used for local consumption and also contributes to our flagship project,” he explained.

Davitashvili further stated that the shared agenda among the partner countries facilitates energy transition and sustainable development, ensuring that both the population and businesses benefit. He emphasized that long-term predictable energy prices will help strengthen and enhance the competitiveness of the economies of the participating nations.

During the ministerial, a joint letter from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary was signed to EU Commissioner Dan Jørgensen. The letter stresses the need for greater European Union support for the Black Sea Submarine Cable project, which is vital not only for the region but for Europe’s energy security and green energy future.