Bulgaria will not pay for capacity over the next 15 months and will only pay if it transports gas through BOTAŞ, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on July 7.
According to the Prime Minister, the protocol signed between Bulgargaz and BOTAŞ lays the groundwork for renegotiating the terms of the existing agreement and creates an opportunity for Bulgaria to position itself not only as a transit country but also as an active natural gas trader.
Rumen Radev, Prime Minister of Bulgaria: "Yesterday, an important protocol was signed between Bulgargaz and BOTAŞ. First of all, over the next 15 months Bulgaria will not pay for capacity; it will pay only if it delivers gas through BOTAŞ. During these 15 months, the agreement with BOTAŞ will be optimised on the basis of this protocol, which contains several important fundamental parameters that pave the way for these negotiations. This is guided by the understanding on both sides that we can be far more efficient and position ourselves in such a way as to make the fullest possible use of our considerable potential to deliver even larger quantities of gas to Central and Eastern Europe."
The Prime Minister said that, as of today, Bulgaria owes 360 million under the BOTAŞ agreement.
Radev stressed that the protocol relates solely to gas relations between Bulgaria and Türkiye and is not connected to any other potential infrastructure, energy or economic projects.
Rumen Radev, Prime Minister of Bulgaria: "We accumulated this liability because, since July 2024, Bulgaria has not been making payments. On the basis of this protocol, we are now finding effective solutions that do not place any burden whatsoever on Bulgaria's public finances. This has nothing to do with the Black Sea Motorway, free electricity transmission through Bulgaria, the waters of the Maritsa and Tundzha rivers, the Han Tervel block, the air we breathe, and so on. The protocol and the relations in the gas sector have absolutely nothing to do with any other project. It is genuinely a standalone protocol in the gas sector, which achieves a substantial reduction in the cost of regasification and transmission."
Speaking about relations with the Republic of Türkiye, Radev said:
Rumen Radev, Prime Minister of Bulgaria: "Bulgaria highly values its friendly relations with the Republic of Türkiye and deeply appreciates the support Türkiye provided during a difficult period for our country amid the gas crisis, when the Petkov–Vassilev government left Bulgaria without gas. Today, we are firmly committed to placing Bulgaria on Europe's energy map not only as a country through which gas is transited, but as a country that trades gas efficiently. I would like to thank President Erdoğan for his friendship, as well as for his understanding and confidence in the potential our two countries have to advance diversification and to provide security for our partners and allies in Central and Eastern Europe."
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