Bulgaria is preparing to completely abandon the transit of Russian gas. Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov stated in New York that next year the country will begin the process of terminating contracts, and by 2028, Russian gas will be completely removed from the Bulgarian energy market. This is reported by "Radio Bulgaria", writes UNN.
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Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, while in the United States to participate in the annual session of the UN General Assembly, confirmed Sofia's readiness to synchronize with the European Union's decisions on reducing dependence on Russian energy carriers.
Regarding President Donald Trump's call, which was made during the General Assembly session, we, as part of the European Union, will join the Union's decisions to suspend in the short term – in 2026 – the validity of contracts for the use or transit of Russian natural gas
According to Zhelyazkov, the key goal is not only to stop transit in the coming years, but also in the long term "to completely exclude Russian natural gas from the Bulgarian energy market by 2028."
The Prime Minister emphasized that currently Bulgaria does not depend on supplies from the Russian Federation: the needs of industry and households are met by importing liquefied gas, which comes through specialized LNG terminals.
During the visit of the Bulgarian delegation to the USA, the Bulgarian Energy Holding signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of North Dakota. The document provides for joint research in the field of rare earth metals, which can strengthen energy security.
Recall
Donald Trump held talks with Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission. During the meeting, von der Leyen confirmed that the European Union intends to completely abandon the import of Russian energy carriers by 2027.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that the country will not stop importing Russian oil, even if US President Donald Trump asks for it. According to Szijjártó, the main reason is geographical restrictions that make it difficult to find alternative suppliers.