Radev on the 'Botas' deal: Bulgaria owes $360 million, but there will be no new budget burden

The Government of Bulgaria is in the process of negotiating to optimize the contract for gas interconnections with the Turkish operator 'Botas'. In a media statement, Prime Minister Rumen Radev indicated that the country owes $360 million, but clarified that this obligation will not burden the state budget in the near future.

According to Radev, during the next 15 months, Bulgaria will not pay for the capacity of the installation, but only if the Turkish side performs an actual gas delivery through the terminal. During this period, the optimization of the contract will be completed based on a newly signed protocol.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of energy independence and positioning Bulgaria not only as a transit country, but as an effective gas trader in Europe. He accused transitional governments in the past of sabotaging the potential of the contract, which led to the accumulation of obligations that are now being resolved through mutual trust with Ankara.

Radev clearly distinguished the current gas protocol from other sharp political topics such as the 'Black Sea' pipeline, the waters of the Maritsa, or free electricity transmission, stating that the gas deal has nothing to do with them. He thanked Turkish President Erdogan for the support and assured that there are no additional secret promises in the agreed terms.