Türkiye will export natural gas to Hungary, the first European country that is not one of Türkiye's neighbors, Alparslan Bayraktar, the energy and natural resources minister, said via social media account X, formerly known as Twitter, late on Sunday.
The agreement was reached between BOTAS (the Turkish Petroleum Pipeline Corporation) and the Hungarian MVM CEEnergy company.
'We will export natural gas to a European country that is not our neighbor for the first time,' Bayraktar said.
Under the agreement, Türkiye will begin natural gas shipments via pipeline to Hungary in 2024, according to a BOTAS press release.
Both countries agreed 'on the development of cooperation on the use of our country's strong LNG infrastructure and the natural gas storage facilities of the two countries within the framework of common interests,' BOTAS said.
International media quoted Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijj as saying that Hungary will buy 275 million cubic meters from Türkiye during the spring and summer of next year.
Türkiye also reached an agreement with Bulgaria on the export of natural gas in January. The agreement envisions an annual export of 1.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Bulgaria.
By Zeynep Beyza Kilic
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr