A ministerial meeting was held in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, for the implementation of the Agreement on Strategic Partnership in the Development and Transmission of Green Energy between Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, and Romania.
The 11th meeting of the Ministers/Steering Committee was convened for this purpose. Azerbaijan was represented by the Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov; Georgia by the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Mariam Kvrivishvili; Hungary by Boglárka Illés, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Romania by Cristian Bușoi, State Secretary of the Ministry of Energy. The meeting was also attended by representatives from Bulgaria, the Green Energy Corridor Energy Company (GECO), CESI, and electricity companies from the four countries.
During the meeting, the implementation status of the Caspian–Black Sea–Europe Green Energy Corridor project, the technical-economic justification (TEJ), and plans for the next phase, including business models, project connection schemes, the fibre-optic cable (FOC) component, Bulgaria’s integration into the project, the attraction of foreign investment, and cooperation with the EU in financing were discussed.
Presentations by the Green Energy Corridor Energy Company (GECO) and CESI were reviewed, along with progress on the Black Sea Submarine Cable project. The meeting also featured an exchange of views on recent developments in the region’s renewable energy sector and future cooperation opportunities.
Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov noted that the final stages of the feasibility study, including market, transmission, and route analysis, as well as financial modelling, are expected to be completed by early 2026. The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) has included the Green Energy Corridor project in the preliminary list of the next Ten-Year Network Development Plan (TYNDP), which provides an opportunity for the project to gain EU Project of Common Interest (PCI) status.
The Minister proposed that the Green Energy Corridor Energy Company (GECO) be given the mandate to sign a contract with CESI for the fibre-optic cable component of the project, and also suggested exploring strategic and technical synergies between the energy corridor extending from the Caspian Sea to Europe and the Black Sea Submarine Cable project.
As a result of the discussions, CESI was tasked with completing the feasibility study no later than the end of March. GECO was tasked with determining the development models for the project following the feasibility study, initiating active negotiations with partners, potential investors, equipment suppliers, and manufacturers, and ensuring close coordination for aligning technical, legal, and financial approaches to ensure the progress of the project.
Additionally, Azerbaijan’s proposal regarding the Black Sea Submarine Cable project and the Green Energy Corridor was accepted, highlighting that the two projects are interconnected and fully aligned with the concept of the agreement. It was agreed to explore and develop synergies between the two projects to enhance cross-border transmission capacity and regional energy connectivity. For this purpose, a Working Group consisting of deputy ministers and GECO representatives was tasked with preparing an overall approach to additional coordination measures and presenting it at the next meeting.
Furthermore, the countries reaffirmed their readiness to initiate the legal procedures for Bulgaria’s accession to the agreement and inclusion in GECO. It was agreed that work with the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) and the European Commission would continue to align the project with EU priorities.
The meeting concluded with the signing of a protocol by the energy ministers of the four countries.
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Police in riot gear pushed toward a group of protesters who launched fireworks, flares and smoke bombs during a demonstration in Milan on Saturday, as the city hosted events on the first full day of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
Train passengers across Italy faced delays of up to three hours on Saturday after suspected acts of sabotage disrupted rail infrastructure near the northern city of Bologna, coinciding with the first full day of the Winter Olympic Games.
A Japanese city near Mount Fuji has cancelled its annual cherry blossom festival, saying growing numbers of badly behaved tourists are disrupting daily life for residents.
Speedskater Francesca Lollobrigida has given host nation Italy its first gold medal of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, winning the women’s 3,000 metres in Olympic-record time on Saturday.
Storm Leonardo hit Spain and Portugal on Tuesday, forcing more than 11,000 people from their homes, as a man in Portugal died after his car was swept away by floodwaters and a second body was found in Malaga.
Winter weather has brought air travel in the German capital to a complete halt, stranding thousands of passengers as severe icing conditions make runways and aircraft unsafe for operation and force authorities to shut down one of Europe’s key transport hubs.
An attacker opened fire at the gates of a Shiite Muslim mosque in Islamabad on Friday before detonating a suicide bomb that killed at least 31 people in the deadliest assault of its kind in the capital in more than a decade.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 6th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Greek authorities said they have arrested a member of the armed forces on suspicion of leaking highly sensitive military information to foreign handlers allegedly linked to China.
U.S. has become a central outside power in the south caucasus, shaping diplomacy, security and energy flows. Its relations with Azerbaijan and Armenia have evolved from similar beginnings into two distinct partnerships that now define Washington’s role in the region.
Iran would retaliate by striking U.S. military bases across the Middle East if it comes under attack by American forces, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday (7 January), stressing that such action should not be seen as targeting the countries hosting those bases.
Uzbekistan is preparing to introduce Islamic banking after the Senate approved legislation creating a legal framework for Sharia-compliant financial services, a move authorities say could broaden financial access and attract new investment into the country’s economy.
Agreements signed by the United States, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in Washington on 5 February show that the United States is changing how it secures access to strategic raw materials.
Azerbaijan has summoned Russia’s ambassador in Baku and issued a formal protest note over remarks by Russian lawmaker Konstantin Zatulin, escalating diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
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