Gazprom says it will keep supplies turned off until Poland and Bulgaria agree to Moscow’s demand to pay for the crucial fuel in rubles. Bloomberg News Russia’s Gazprom PJSC said Continue Reading
Bulgaria will not hold talks with Russian energy giant Gazprom to renew its natural gas purchase deal amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and will be looking at alternative supplies, Deputy Continue Reading
Miners and workers at Bulgaria’s largest coal-fired power plant Maritsa East 2 marched in Sofia on Thursday to protect their jobs and to urge the government to support coal-fired energy Continue Reading
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Bulgaria may be in a position to serve as an energy bridge to Europe. File photo by Monika Graff/UPI TEHRAN, May 13 (UPI) — Bulgaria is in a geographical position to serve as a stepping stone for Iranian gas ambitions to reach Europe, the Iranian president said. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reviewed the credentials of Bulgarian Ambassador to Tehran Christo Polendakov during a ceremony in the Iranian capital. Rouhani said his government viewed Bulgaria as a means to tap into the European energy market . "Bulgaria has a superior geographical status in southeastern Europe and it can act like a bridge between Iran and the European countries in all areas, including transfer of energy," the Iranian president said. Bulgaria last year suspended its role in a now-shelved Russian natural gas pipeline planned for Europe, South Stream, arguing it violated legal requirements in the European […]
With Russia’s role in the European energy community questioned, Bulgaria presents itself as an important energy security cog. (UPI/Shutterstock/Igor Golovniov) Bulgaria can serve as an important energy bridge for members of the European Union, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said. Bulgaria’s decision in August to back away from the South Stream natural gas pipeline, envisioned by Russian energy company Gazprom, led in part to a derailment of the project. This week, the country’s prime minister told European leaders Bulgaria could become a common gas distribution center for EU member states in the region. Meeting in Washington, the Bulgarian foreign minister told U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry energy security for Europe was a top concern for the government in Sofia. "Our common goal is to attract investments to guarantee supply and distribution, as well as to build interconnectivity with neighboring countries," he said Thursday. South Stream was meant to […]
The Bulgarian government said it was suspending all actions related to the planned Russian natural gas pipeline, South Stream, because of European rules. Bulgarian Minister of Energy and Economy Vasil Shtonov called Monday for a suspension of all actions on South Stream because "the project does not meet the legal requirements of the European Commission." European Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger in June said the South Stream project should be put on hold because it’s not in compliance with legislation passed in the European Union . European leaders are wary of allowing companies that produce gas to control the corresponding transit systems. South Stream is a Russian gas pipeline meant to avoid geopolitically sensitive territory in Ukraine. Russia meets about a quarter of Europe’s gas needs, though the bulk of those supplies run through the Soviet-era transit network in Ukraine. In May, Gazprom said it signed the necessary contracts needed […]
Lutz Landwehr, commercial director for the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline, said Monday a possible pipeline connection to Bulgaria would enhance energy security. The TAP project consortium and Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria signed a memorandum of understanding to consider further development of gas infrastructure in the region. "We welcome this agreement with ICGB and see it as an opportunity to transport Caspian gas to Bulgaria, thus enhancing diversification of supply and improving security of supply in the country and in the wider South Eastern Europe Region," Landwehr said in a statement. Landwehr said the agreement calls on both sides to consider a possible pipeline connection point in Greece that would allow natural gas to flow to Bulgaria. The Greek government ratified a host agreement for TAP in December. The 340-mile section through Greece is the longest for the 540-mile pipeline. TAP will connect to a pipeline near […]
SOFIA, Bulgaria, Nov. 1 (UPI) — The start of construction of the South Stream gas pipeline in Bulgaria marks the launch of one of Europe’s largest energy projects, Gazprom’s chief said. “A landmark event has taken place today: Construction started on the Bulgarian section of the South Stream gas pipeline, the most large-scale and important project in Europe,” Gazprom Chairman Alexei Miller said in a statement Thursday. “This project is a key element of energy security of the whole European continent.” South Stream is meant to add diversity to Russia’s export routes through Europe. A contractual dispute between Gazprom and its counterparts in Ukraine, which hosts most of Russia’s gas for Europe, adds a layer of risk to conventional routes, officials say. Miller said the direct connection to Bulgaria, a member of the European Union, means geopolitical risks associated with transit countries are eliminated “forever.” Bulgarian consumers will receive […]
