Vertical Corridor: Romania's Non-Russian Gas Strategy — NRG-IA

Ilie Bolojan has backed reducing the transit tariffs charged by Transgaz for non-Russian natural gas set to flow through the Vertical Corridor—the route linking Greece to Ukraine via Bulgaria, Romania, and Moldova. The statement comes at a time when the United States has long been calling for cheaper transport of American LNG regasified at the Greek terminals of Revithoussa and Alexandroupoli, to make it more competitive in Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and Ukraine. The issue is not merely a discussion about "American gas." The real stake is whether Romania can transform Transgaz's infrastructure into a functional regional route for non-Russian gas, at a time when the European Union is accelerating the phase-out of Russian imports, and Ukraine and Moldova need stable supply options. Transit does not automatically mean acquisition The first essential distinction is between transit and purchasing. Bolojan explicitly separated these two aspects: Romania can support the transit…