Minister of Energy Dorin Junghietu participated last week in the Natural Resources Summit held in Istanbul. This key event serves as a platform for discussions on developments in the energy sector, national objectives, and regional priorities for strengthening mutual cooperation. The summit was also marked by the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

During the summit, the Moldovan minister held several high-level bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania.

Speaking in the panel discussion titled “Supply Security Dynamics: Challenges and Opportunities,” Dorin Junghietu highlighted the crucial role of the Vertical Corridor in natural gas imports, especially in the context of instability and crises caused by the Russian Federation.

“In Moldova’s case, we rely on our neighbors not only for gas, but also for electricity. This is a legacy of the past, and we must manage it by turning challenges into opportunities. Together with our partners, we have successfully built an alternative gas transport route. Moldova was the first country to commercially use the Greece–Bulgaria interconnector and successfully tested the reverse flow on the Trans-Balkan pipeline, bringing in liquefied natural gas from the United States. Thus, Moldova has become an active contributor to regional energy security,” stated Minister Junghietu.

In his discussions with Turkish Minister of Energy Alparslan Bayraktar, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation based on the Memorandum of Cooperation signed in November last year. This includes knowledge and experience exchange, joint project development, attracting investments, and enhancing energy security.

Concrete opportunities were also discussed in the fields of renewable energy, energy efficiency, electricity trade, and smart energy technologies.

In his meeting with Bulgarian counterpart Zhecho Stankov, Minister Junghietu discussed continued collaboration under the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2024, which includes concrete measures in the event of potential energy sector crises. They also explored solutions for Moldovan companies to access Bulgarian storage infrastructure and regional energy markets.

“Bulgaria is a key partner for the Republic of Moldova not only in the energy sector but also economically, socially, and educationally. We are committed to developing this strategic partnership, which contributes to the stability and energy security of both countries,” emphasized Minister Junghietu.

During his meeting with Romanian Minister of Energy Sebastian Burduja, Dorin Junghietu highlighted the vital importance of energy interconnection projects between the two countries.

“Romania has been and continues to be a crucial support for the Republic of Moldova in the development and resilience of the energy sector. We are pleased to strengthen this relationship through strategic projects such as the Vulcănești–Chișinău Energy Independence Line, as well as new joint infrastructure initiatives, including the Bălți–Suceava and Strășeni–Gutinaș interconnections. At the same time, I invite Romanian companies to participate in the upcoming tenders for renewable energy plants and storage batteries to be launched this fall,” said Junghietu.

The Moldovan minister reiterated the country’s interest in more attractive transit tariffs for natural gas through Romania, aiming to facilitate flows within the Greece–Bulgaria–Romania–Ukraine Vertical Corridor.

“We need more interconnections with Europe for both gas and electricity, and Romania, as our trusted friend, will support us in this endeavor,” concluded Dorin Junghietu.