Energy Minister: Agreement with Turkiye’s Botas Historic for Bulgaria, Great Breakthrough for EU

Jerusalem, 8 January, 2023 (TPS) -- SOFIA, 08.01.2023 13:08 (BTA)
Interviewed on Bulgarian National Television on Sunday, Energy Minister Rossen Hristov said the agreement signed with Turkiye’s Botas energy company is historic for Bulgaria and a great breakthrough for the EU because it provides for natural gas supplies through the Turkish terminals to Bulgaria and Europe. “We have the European Commission’s full support,” he said.

State-owned Gas Company Bulgargaz and Turkiye’s Botas signed an agreement on January 3 that grants Bulgaria access to the Turkish LNG terminals and gas transmission network for 13 years.

Hristov explained on Sunday that the agreement is exclusively about reserving capacity at the terminals, and ruled out gas trading. Bulgargaz trades through transparent procedures and tenders, he said.

Answering a question, Hristov said Lukoil must operate if Bulgaria is to get affordable fuels. The point is to find a permanent solution – an Alexandroupolis-Burgas oil pipeline.

Next week Bulgaria will sign a memorandum with Greece to resume the project and import non-Russian oil.

Originally, the pipeline was to carry oil from the Black Sea city of Burgas to the Greek port of Alexandroupolis. Now the direction will be reversed.