Bulgaria's and Romania's accession to the Schengen Area is not just an investment in regional security and stability, but will also consolidate the process of European integration in Southeast Europe. This is what President Rumen Radev said at a working meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Sofia ahead of the IGB launch of commercial operations ceremony.

The head of State familiarised the EC President on the proposal of the gas transmission operators of Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary to increase the transmission of natural gas from Azerbaijan to Europe via their national gas transmission systems. In this way, without waiting for the construction of new pipelines, with minor modifications to the networks, the supply of natural gas to the EU members could be accelerated through the already operational reliable and secure infrastructure.