(ANSA) - SOFIA - Bulgaria's participation in the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the Greek port of Alexandroupolis is of strategic importance for the diversification and security of energy supplies, Bulgarian Energy Minister Temenouzhka Petkova told Greek Environment and Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis during a meeting in Sofia, as Bta press agency reported. The two discussed the state of play of the LNG terminal project and the building of the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria.

Petkova updated Stathakis on the results of the working group which has been analyzing the possibility for Bulgaria's involvement in the LNG terminal project. The two ministers concurred that the Bulgarian participation is of key importance for the country and for Southeastern Europe. Petkova said: ''The synergy between this project and the building of the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria will boost the security and the diversification of energy supplies.'' Petkova also briefed her guest on the progress made in the project for the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria. She assured him that her government has taken all necessary actions for the successful completion of the project within the established timeframe.

The procedures for selecting a pipeline supplier and an engineering consultant for the gas interconnector are underway.

In the first of these two procedures, there are 10 bidders based in various continents, which shows that businesses see the project as promising. The list of bidders admitted to the second stage of the procedure will become known by the end of April, and the contractor will be named in June. Both Bulgaria and Greece want construction to begin in June, so that the interconnector becomes operational in 2020, the Bulgarian Energy Ministry noted. (ANSA).