The Central Europe as well as Slovakia lacks the north-south gas pipeline connection to secure supplies, Milan Sedlacek from national gas pipeline operator Eustream said on Thursday.
"Eustream, as well as the European Commission, places emphasis on this corridor," said Sedlacek at the international conference Energoforum in the Slovak city of Vyhne.
"Poland will construct a terminal for liquified natural gas that could enable the interconnection of central European countries to this source," said Sedlacek.
To that end, the Slovakia-Poland connection is indispensable and Eustream has already completed the feasibility study on the route. The project has also been included into the Project of European Commission's Joint Interest program.
"There is a possibility for acquiring a co-funding from Brussels sources for this project. Eustream is preparing to file an applicaton for having it financed from Brussels, taking into account the fact that it is important not only to Slovakia but the region as a whole," pointed out Sedlacek.
The need to diversify sources and transport routes is seen also by energy expert from website Energieprevas.sk Jozef Badida.
"The solution for Central Europe, as an alternative to Russian Gazprom, could be posed by Caucasian gas or gas from deposits in Iran and Iraq," he said.