North Macedonia joins Vertical Gas Corridor

North Macedonia is set to join the Vertical Gas Corridor, marking a new strategic step toward strengthening energy security and regional connectivity, the country's Ministry of Energy, Mining, and Mineral Resources, told Report's Balkan bureau.

It was noted that the country has been invited to participate in one of Europe's most important initiatives – the Vertical Gas Corridor – which aims to diversify natural gas supplies and reinforce energy stability across Southeast, Central, and Eastern Europe.

The decision was confirmed at a meeting of gas transmission system operators in Athens, where North Macedonia's operator NOMAGAS was approved to join this regional cooperation framework. Alongside existing participants – Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Slovakia, and Hungary – both North Macedonia and Serbia are now in the accession process.

According to the ministry's assessment, this step represents a crucial stage in integrating the country into Europe's energy network, ensuring reliable, diversified, and competitive natural gas supplies.

It was emphasized that joining the Vertical Gas Corridor does not mean building a new pipeline. Instead, it involves integrating national pipelines, interconnectors, and terminals into a coordinated European network. Through this system, natural gas can be transported across Europe from south to north via multiple routes.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani gas, delivered through the Southern Gas Corridor, is already reaching Europe, and the development of the Vertical Gas Corridor will create additional opportunities to expand these resources to a wider geography.