Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Briefing of the Bulgarian Minister of Energy

Bulgaria will not hold talks with Gazprom under pressure

Transit gas supplies to Serbia and Hungary through the country will not stop

Author:
Photo: BGNES

Natural gas is being used as a political and economic weapon, Bulgarian Minister of Energy Alexander Nikolov said, commenting on halted gas deliveries from Russia.

"As long as I am minister, Bulgaria will not negotiate under pressure and with head bowed down. Bulgaria is not for sale at any price. At the moment it is clear that the infrastructure facilities widely promoted in the past cannot guarantee the supply of natural gas, but this does not mean that we would fail to overcome this situation", Minister Nikolov said.

All natural gas supplies are guaranteed for at least a month in advance. There has been no reduction of gas supply from Russia yet, Minister Nikolov said at an extraordinary briefing on the topic today.

If Gazprom did not deliver agreed quantities, that would be a breach of contract, the minister added. A new expert meeting to discuss the next steps of the country is forthcoming, Minister Nikolov also said, recalling that Bulgaria is not the only one affected and that Poland and Lithuania are also in the same situation.


"Bulgaria is a loyal partner to all neighboring countries. Bulgaria is not Russia. When we have the opportunity, we help all neighboring countries," Minister Nikolov said, adding that all possible risks would be assessed and Bulgaria would not create tension in other countries, such as Serbia or Hungary.

In a statement published by TASS and Reuters, Gazprom recalled that Bulgaria and Poland are transit countries and if they were to divert Russian gas intended for third countries, transit deliveries for those countries “will be reduced by the volume that was taken.”

English: Alexander Markov



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

IMF predicts 2.8 per cent inflation in Bulgaria in 2024

Bulgaria's economy will grow by 2.3 per cent this year. This is according to the latest World Economic Outlook prepared by the International Monetary Fund and presented today in Washington. This is down from the Fund's April estimate, which predicted that..

published on 10/22/24 6:44 PM

Bulgaria's public debt for 2023 was 22.9% of GDP

In 2023, the government budget deficit was 2% of GDP or €1.9 billion. This is indicated by the final data of the National Statistical Institute. This is a significant narrowing of the budget deficit compared to the previous 3 years...

published on 10/22/24 1:23 PM

Career and Life - Why in Bulgaria Forum took place in London

A forum entitled "Career and Life - Why in Bulgaria?", organized by the Bulgaria Wants You platform, was held at the Royal Geographical Society in London on October 20. The event, which took place for the second time, attracted significant..

published on 10/21/24 9:28 AM