Serbia's energy agency has granted Bulgargaz a 10-year licence to trade natural gas wholesale. The decision confirms the Bulgarian firm 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, build a stronger presence in regional markets and make it easier to trade gas across borders with countries in central and southeast Europe.

The company already holds the licences it needs to trade and supply gas in:

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

The company is a registered user of 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 an official visit by Czech prime minister Andrej Babiš, energy minister Iva Petrova and Karel Havlíček — Czechia's first deputy prime minister and minister of industry and trade — agreed it was time to start talks on gas cooperation between Bulgargaz and the Czech state gas company.