US Ambassador Guilfoyle's LNG Deals Spark Controversy in Southeastern Europe

US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle has been under scrutiny over her promotion of American liquefied natural gas deals in Southeastern Europe. According to an investigation by The Wall Street Journal, she has repeatedly involved Greek construction and energy group Aktor and Christos Marafatsos, a lobbyist for the company.

The Vertical Gas Corridor, a regional network intended to bring US LNG into Greece and transport it northwards to Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine, has been strongly backed by Guilfoyle. However, The Wall Street Journal raises questions about her repeated involvement with Aktor and Marafatsos.

The WSJ reports that Marafatsos frequently accompanied Guilfoyle to meetings with senior government officials, including a meeting with the Bulgarian president, despite having no formal diplomatic position. Officials reportedly mistook him for a member of Guilfoyle's staff.