Bulgaria Has Already Found a Replacement for Gazprom

Bulgaria will not sign a new gas supply contract with Gazprom after the expiration of the current agreement, the country's Prime Minister has stated. The country will seek alternative suppliers and hopes to sign a joint agreement within the framework of the EU. Currently, Bulgaria receives virtually all of its imported gas from Russia, as reported by Forbes.

Bulgaria will not negotiate a new gas import contract with Gazprom, stated Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Asen Vasilev in an interview with the national radio. According to Vasilev, the country has alternative sources for resources, such as supplies from Qatar and Algeria. Additionally, Sofia will try to sign a joint agreement at the European Union level. Officials in Bulgaria believe that this mechanism will be operational by summer, Vasilev noted.

He emphasized that there will be no negotiations with Gazprom in the current situation. Bulgaria has already held discussions with Greece and Turkey regarding the use of existing infrastructure for purchasing liquefied natural gas, as well as increasing imports from Azerbaijan. The latter has also signed an agreement with Sofia, Vasilev said.

According to Bloomberg, Bulgaria receives nearly all of its imported gas from Russia under a 10-year contract with Gazprom. The contract is set to expire at the end of 2022. For years, the country has delayed projects to diversify energy resource sources and expand its only gas storage facility, the agency noted. The government is now attempting to accelerate the implementation of both projects, Bloomberg added.