site.btaChairman of Federation for Friendship with Russia: Relations with Russia Chilled, Not Frozen, Breakthrough Expected Soon

Chairman of Federation for Friendship with Peoples of Russia, CIS Countries: Relations between Bulgaria, Russia Cooled, Not Frozen, Breakthrough Expected Soon

Pernik, Western Bulgaria, May 9 (BTA) - The relations between
Bulgaria and Russia are in the fridge but by no means in the
freezer, Professor Zahari Zahariev, who chairs the Federation
for Friendship with the Peoples of Russia and the Commonwealth
of Independent States, said in an interview to BTA. In
Zahariev's words, an inevitable breakthrough from the point of
the national interest is likely to be reached very soon.
Zahariev argued that the hurdles which impede the dialogue
between Bulgaria and Russia and block the initiative of the
current administration will be eased because reduction of the
sanctions and also of the tension between the EU and Moscow is
inevitable.

Zahariev said that preliminary estimates show that Bulgaria has
lost 500 million euros from the EU sanctions to Russia and the
latter's retaliatory measures. The worst hit sectors in this
country are farming, tourism and construction, he said. The
Professor spoke of the danger whereby the Russian market niches
of Bulgarian produce are taken up by third countries or by
nations from Russia's closest circle, economically and
politically, such as former Soviet countries, India, Brazil and
Argentine.

Zahariev warned that once these niches are lost, it will be very
difficult to regain them, given that the produce of these other
countries is as good as the Bulgarian, and in most cases enjoys
state subsidies.

The expert said that the topic of the South Stream gas pipeline
project Russia abandoned in December last year is "totally
closed".