US Assistant Secretary of State for energy resources Frank Fannon met with Macedonian Government representatives today and pushed for connecting Macedonia on a proposed LNG terminal that should be built in Greece.

Besides the LNG imports that would come through the terminal planned at the Greek port of Alexandropolis, Greece would also provide Macedonia with Azeri natural gas through the TANAP – TAP pipeline. The discussions also include reactivating the Skopje – Solun (Thessaloniki) oil pipeline which has been inactive since 2013.

Fannon traveled to Greece along with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, where they went to Solun and discussed energy projects in the region. Macedonia currently receives only a small quantity of natural gas from Russia, via a pipeline leading through Bulgaria. As a result, most of the country still uses wood and coal for heating over winter, leading to world record setting levels of air pollution.