Bulgaria will not Succumb to Extortion and will not Pay for Gas in Rubles

"The government is prepared for the scenario of stopping the supply of Russian natural gas to Bulgaria, and for its part is currently reviewing the contract for transit through our country." This was announced by Prime Minister Kiril Petkov to the ministers and he declared that Bulgaria will not succumb to racketeering and blackmail to pay for natural gas in rubles, while at the same time will not reduce the supply of natural gas to consumers in our country.

The energy ministry has a clear action plan in the current situation, the prime minister said:

"The Bulgarian government is prepared for this scenario. There will be no reduction in gas supplies to consumers in any way."

The suspension of natural gas to our country by Gazprom is a violation of the current agreement, Petkov said: "And it is blackmail to use a non-contractual plan for payment in rubles through third parties, which does not guarantee either supplies or the money of Bulgarians. We will not succumb to such a racket. Bulgaria is also reviewing all agreements with Gazprom, including the agreement on transit through Bulgaria because unilateral extortion is unacceptable."

In a telephone conversation this morning with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Petkov was assured that the physical construction of the interconnector with Greece will be completed in June. There is a possibility for deliveries before that to our country.

"He also confirmed joint actions for diversification through liquefied gas, so that there is communication on a daily basis between the two energy ministers as well."

Petkov also had a conversation with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, who