The Albanian government supports the Trans Adriatic Pipeline to ensure Albania's energy security. Also Italy and Greece are involved in the project to carry 21 bcm of Azerbaijani gas to Europe.
Transparency and consultation have moved Albanian government to support Trans Adriatic Pipeline - TAP. On Wednesday 12/25 Albania recognized to TAP the status of National strategic interest project.
As Trend news agency reported, Albanian PM Sali Berisha supported TAP after TAP consortium ended a public consultation's program with local communities of the lands which are involved in the construction of the 209 kilometers length pipeline's Albanian section.
TAP manager Kjetl Tungland told the pipeline's consortium will cooperate with the Albanian government in order to realize a project which ensures Albania's energy security.
Albania's support to TAP is an important decision also for Italy. TAP, whose shareholders are Norwegian energy concern Statoil, Swiss company Axpo and German company E.On, will pump 21 bcm of Azerbaijani gas per year from the border between Turkey and Greece to Southern Italy's Apulia region.
TAP realization will made Italy the Azerbaijani gas hub in Europe, enforce Rome's political position in the EU, and create job places in a country devastated by the economic and work crisis.
TAP's importance has been understood by Italian PM Mario Monti, whose technician government supported the project.
In September 2012, Italian Energy Development Minister Corrado Passera, in behalf on Italy's government, signed a official document in support of TAP together with Albania and Greece's governmental authorities.
From the economic point of view, also second Italian energy company Enel declared interest in buying stakes in TAP.
On 12/19 Greece started procedures to sign the Host Governmental Agreement with TAP, pushing forward the pipeline's realization.
TAP is one of the pipelines of the EU Southern Corridor: a project planed by the European Commission to carry Azerbaijani gas directly to Europe and decrease Europe's energy dependence on Russia, whose gas supplies now cover the 40% of the EU total energy need.
In addition to Enel, also British energy concern BP declared the intention to buy TAP's stakes.
TAP also signed an agreement of cooperation with Skah Deniz gas field consortium, whose shareholders are Azerbaijani concern SOCAR, Statoil, British Petroleum, French company Total, Turkish TPAO, and Russian-Italian LukAgip.
Matteo Cazzulani
