On 18 and 19 January 2024, a Bulgarian delegation led by Energy Minister Rumen Radev took part in the ministerial meeting of the Central and South Eastern Europe Energy Connectivity (CESEC) initiative. The European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson also attended the forum.

During the visit, Ministers Rumen Radev and Theodoros Skylakakis signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Environment and Energy of the Hellenic Republic on cooperation in the field of energy. The two countries will deepen their cooperation on a number of energy issues of mutual interest, including increasing the capacity of electricity and gas transmission networks, building and expanding hydrogen transmission networks, optimising the production potential for renewable energy and hydrogen, and digitalisation of electricity networks.

During the CESEC meeting, an official ceremony was held to inaugurate the second electricity interconnection between Bulgaria and Greece - the 400 kV extra-high voltage interconnection between the Maritsa East substation in Bulgaria and Nea Santa in Greece.

The energy ministers of Bulgaria, Greece and Romania signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding on the development of a renewable energy backbone in South East Europe.

In the framework of CESEC, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Bulgarian electricity transmission system operator ESO and the Greek Grid Telecom on the use of the interconnectors between Bulgaria and Greece for data transfer and telecommunication services.

The CEOs of the national gas transmission system operators in the region, including Bulgartransgaz, DESFA, Gastrade, ICGB and others, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the inclusion of Slovakia (Eustream), Moldova (Vestmoldtransgaz) and Ukraine (GTSOU) in the Vertical Gas Corridor initiative.