Bulgaria refuses to negotiate a new contract with Gazprom

The provisional government of Bulgaria will not negotiate with the company “Gazprom export” on a new contract, since such an obligation should be assumed by the permanent cabinet of ministers, said Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Policy of Bulgaria Hristo Aleksiev. He announced this following the results of negotiations with the head of the Energy Directorate of the European Commission, Ditte Jull-Jorgensen, transmits press service of the government of the republic.

Aleksiev said that the Bulgarian government does not intend to negotiate a new short, medium or long-term contract with Gazprom Export.

“We believe that such an action should not be taken by the interim government. Only an ordinary cabinet and parliament can make such a new, future commitment,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

The Bulgarian authorities plan to announce an international tender for long-term LNG supplies, the procedure should be initiated by the interim government, and the decision will be made by the permanent cabinet, the press service noted.

On April 27, Gazprom completely suspended gas supplies to the Bulgarian company Bulgargaz due to its refusal to pay in rubles. In the summer, gas prices began to rise sharply. In particular, in July the price of one megawatt-hour was about 95 euros, and already in August it increased 1.5 times to 149 euros. It is expected that growth will continue in September. Russian Ambassador to Bulgaria Eleonora Mitrofanova said that Russia is ready to resume gas supplies to Bulgaria at any time if the country pays according to the scheme proposed by Gazprom.

Bulgarian Energy Minister Rosen Hristov said this week that the country’s government had sent a request to Gazprom to resume negotiations on gas supplies from Russia and now expects a response from the company in the coming days.

Earlier, he announced the readiness of the government resume gas supplies from Gazprom if alternative sources of supply are not found. According to Khristov, Bulgaria does not buy gas from Gazprom directly, but part of the energy that comes to the country from other suppliers is Russian.

On June 22, the Bulgarian parliament voted for a vote of no confidence and the resignation of the country’s government. President Rumen Radev then signed a decree dissolving the 47th National Assembly and appointed an interim government. Elections to the country’s parliament are scheduled for October 2.