The Financial Times reports that Athens expects that its geographic location, together with gas receiving capacity, infrastructure upgrades and close ties with Washington, could give Greece a central role in the European gas market.
For example, the island of Revitoussa, west of Athens, is home to the country’s main terminal. From there, regasified gas flows to the Balkans and further through the “vertical corridor” system in the south-north direction. It was created by Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine after 2022.
The Vertical Corridor countries have largely adapted existing infrastructure to create a south-north system.
Athens has delimited gas supplies
Greece started to diversify its supply even before the war started in February 2022, said Maria Rita Galli, former general director of Greek gas transportation operator DESFA. She mentioned the TAP pipeline, which was completed in 2020. It connects the Greek-Turkish border with Italy via Albania and the Adriatic Sea.
Athens has also completed the Greece-Bulgaria gas interconnector and increased the capacity through two new compressor stations in the north of the country, the newspaper said.
It should be noted that the European Commission has decided to phase out Russian gas: the restrictions came into force on January 1, 2026. A transitional period is provided for the existing contracts: short-term agreements can be in force until June 17, 2026, and long-term agreements – until January 1, 2028. This decision was taken as part of the anti-Russian sanctions in response to the military actions in Ukraine.
