BAKU, Sept. 2 -- Azerbaijan's state oil company, SOCAR, has officially commenced natural gas deliveries to Croatia, the company said on Monday.

SOCAR said the start of Azerbaijani gas supplies to Croatia on Sunday ahead of the winter season underscored the company's commitment to strengthening its role as a reliable energy partner in Europe.

The move, as a result of successful collaboration between the governments of Azerbaijan and Croatia, as well as cooperation with companies PPD and MET Group, enhanced energy cooperation between the two countries and supported the continent's energy security, according to the company.

With this development, Croatia became the tenth country to receive Azerbaijani gas. Previously, Azerbaijan has supplied natural gas to Turkiye, Georgia, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovenia.

Azerbaijan started commercial gas supplies to Europe in December 2020 via the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline, part of the Southern Gas Corridor.

The country exported 23.8 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2023, and the volume of exports is projected to increase to 25 billion cubic meters in 2024, with 13 billion cubic meters destined for Europe.

  - Xinhua