Serbia's energy agency has given Bulgargaz EAD a licence to trade natural gas on the wholesale market, valid for 10 years. With this decision, Serbia's regulator confirms the Bulgarian company meets all legal requirements and can now trade on Serbia's gas market.

Bulgargaz says the new licence is part of its plan to grow its business, build a bigger presence in regional markets and make it easier to trade natural gas across borders with countries in central and southeast Europe.

The company points out it already holds the permits and licences it needs to trade and supply natural gas in:

  • Greece;
  • Slovakia;
  • Hungary;
  • Romania.
Bulgargaz is also present in Moldova, through its subsidiary Bulgargaz North, which already holds a licence to trade natural gas there.

The company is a registered user of the gas transmission networks in Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, Hungary and Ukraine. That gives it guaranteed access to these markets and opens up more chances to trade gas across borders in the region.

Last week, during Czech prime minister Andrej Babiš's official visit, energy minister Iva Petrova and Karel Havlíček — Czech deputy prime minister and minister of industry and trade — agreed it was time to start talks on gas-sector cooperation between Bulgargaz and the Czech state gas company.