Bulgaria expects answer about the future of South Stream

We expect to be given a concrete answer about the future of the South Stream gas pipeline today. There is a bilateral agreement between Bulgaria and Russia, which has been ratified by the Bulgarian Parliament and we have certain commitments as a result of that. Now our European partners must understand that we cannot go to an international arbitrary court for each unrealised project and lose money from that. This is what Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov said before journalists in Brussels before the summit of the leaders of the European People’s Party (EPP), held just before the last European Council meeting of the year, Focus News Agency reported.

Asked about the proposed construction of a gas hub in Bulgaria, whether any expert studies have been made and how the technical and financial parts of the project would look like, as well as to comment on the situation surrounding South Stream, whether Mr Borisov himself would ask the European Commission and the other EU leaders about South Stream, Mr Borisov answered: “These are all ideas that will be placed on the table where all EU member states are represented.The positive that came out of this bad situation is that now everyone knows what Bulgaria’s problems are. Now we are in a different situation that the time when the government of [former] PM Oresharski was doing everything possible to put Bulgaria in isolation and was holding ridiculous public tenders and other nonsense; and when the then-Minister of Economy and Energy was actually playing the part of a postman, instead of a decision-maker. Now things are different, as all European leaders, members of the European Commission, members of the European Parliament, European Council, the German Chancellor, and our colleagues from the EPP – everyone knows what Bulgaria’s problems are – I opened the map and showed them our problems, and I also explained the legal obstacles before us. Now we will once again become a predictable partner of the EU, which means that they will also have to fulfil their commitment and tell us what we can and what we cannot do. Everyone is aware that I expect concrete answer to our questions tonight. Now EPP President Mr Joseph Daul told me that he had set aside some time for me to acquaint our EPP colleagues with the damages Bulgaria would suffer from the South Stream project, if we do not become flexible and quick in our actions, in co-operation with the European Commission. On the other hand we are under an infringement procedure regarding south Stream, so I hope we will reach a resolution today,” Mr Borisov explained.

Source: Focus Information Agency