The Russian-Ukrainian gas dispute, which caused serious problems with the supplies of natural gas to Central Europe and the Balkans, has also stimulated intense debate on energy security in almost all of the countries in the region. The Nabucco gas pipeline project is the initiative enjoying increasing interest across the region. An international conference on Nabucco held in Budapest on 26 and 27 January - which was attended by representatives from transit countries, potential suppliers, the European Union, the European Commission and financial institutions - is an element of this debate and an event intended at advancing work on the project.
At the same time, the Balkan countries have been trying to find their own solutions to improve their gas security by developing transport and storage infrastructure and building an LNG terminal in Croatia. If completed, the projects would significantly reduce the region's dependence on Russian gas. However, their success depends on the political determination of those countries and the availability of funds.
