The future gas hub near Varna, for which just a feasibility study will say whether it is economically justified, has already been declared an object of national importance. Together with more eight sites of the state gas operator "Bulgartransgaz", which need further works, the gas distribution center entered that is not yet built enters the list in which are also present future gas connections with Greece and Serbia, reports mediapool. 

Besides the hub, other objects of national importance are the planned extensions of the gas transmission network in the section of the Bulgarian-
the Turkish border to a compressor station Strandzha, the gas transmission infrastructure parallel to the northern  gas pipeline to the Bulgarian-Serbian border; the gas pipeline to Panagurishte and Pirdop; future transmission pipelines for Svishtov, Razlog and Bansko; the modernized compressor stations "Lozenets", "Petrich" and Ihtiman, as well as the planned replacement of a northern gas pipeline in the Beglej - Dermantsi - Batultsi section - Kalugerovo and northern gas pipeline in the section from Valchi Dol to Preselka.

The Council of Ministers pointed out that the implementation of the gas hub project will create the necessary gas infrastructure to connect the gas markets in the region to those in Central and Western Europe, as well as the countries of the Energy Community - Serbia, the Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

That way the project will contribute to the achievement of the main priorities of the European energy policy. With the implementation of the project for expansion of the gas transmission infrastructure of Bulgartransgaz EAD in the section of the Bulgarian-Turkish border to the Bulgarian-Serbian border will confirm security of natural gas supply for our country as well as for the neighboring Balkan countries and the region, finding additional highly qualified jobs strengthening the role of Bulgaria as a transit country in the region and the EU.

The projects for the construction of transmission gas pipelines to Panagyurishte and Pirdop, to Svishtov, as well as to Bansko and Razlog are
funded under the Kozloduy International Fund administered by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The modernization project of the three Lozenets, Petrich and Ihtiman compressor stations is part of the activities financed by the Connecting Europe Facility. Modernization of compressor stations provides integration of 4 low-emission turbine gas compressor units, and in Lozenets compressor station will be integrated two units. With the realization of the project the compressor stations will meet the highest European standards for environmental requirements.

With the rehabilitation of sections of the northern semi-circular Beglej-Dermantsi-Batultsi-Kalugerovo and Valchi Dol-Preselka the reliability of the facilities will be guaranteed and the design capacity for natural gas transmission will be ensured. The implementation of all sites is included in the ten-year network development plan of Bulgartransgaz EAD for 2017-2026, approved by the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission on 1 August 2017