site.bta President Plevneliev: "Bulgaria Keeps on Depending on One Pipe, One Supplier"

President Plevneliev: "Bulgaria Keeps on Depending on One Pipe, One Supplier"


Sofia, November 12 (BTA) - "Bulgaria keeps on depending on one
pipe and one supplier and, as Head of State, I am firmly
resolved to change this status quo," Bulgarian President Rosen
Plevneliev said on Wednesday, adding that this is not
anti-Russian policy. He made this statement within a discussion
on the second day of an international conference "How to Cope
with the Past Looking into the Future". It is a part of the
campaign dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the democratic
changes in Bulgaria. Participating in it was also visiting here
Hungarian President Janos Ader.

It is not good for Gazprom to assume the role of a monopolist.
It should rather use the gas not as energy weapon but as
commodity, traded at market prices based on clear contracts,
Plevneliev said. The issue does not depend solely on the
Bulgarian Government and on Brussels but, also, on the Russian
partners, which should comply with the contracts and offer
competitive prices.

Bulgaria should have developed a clear position on South Stream
long ago. "We are looking for diversification, including of
routes. We are a worthy member of the European family and cannot
act against the European rules. This does not work in favour of
confidence," Plevneliev commented.

Bulgaria is taking measures not to increase the purchased
amounts of Russian gas but to reduce them, the President said.
He noted the beginning of the South Gas Corridor project, which
will ensure real diversification as well as the contract signed
by Bulgaria for the purchase of 1,000 million cu m of gas from
Azerbaijan as of 2019 and the additional memorandum, signed by
caretaker prime minister Georgi Bliznashki, giving the right for
buying these amounts earlier, if technically possible. In this
context, Plevneliev noted the importance of the construction of
the gas interconnection with Greece.