SOCAR CEO visits Samaras as EU probes Desfa deal

(Baku Daily) - Rovnaq Abdullayev, president of Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR, yesterday visited Athens, where he met Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, the company said.

Abdullayev and Samaras had an exchange of views on the agreement SOCAR signed last year to buy 66 percent of the Greek natural gas distribution company Desfa for $400 million. 

They also discussed the implementation of the Trans-Adriatic (TAP) natural gas pipeline project to deliver Azeri gas to Italy via Greece and Albania, SOCAR said without giving further detail.

SOCAR has 20 percent of TAP, where partners also include BP and Statoil.

The visit comes as the European Commission started an in-depth investigation into the Desfa purchase agreement.

Abdullayev said last week it is in the Greek government’s best interests to ensure that the agreement is finalized. 

He warned that SOCAR has better investment options than Desfa.