CEO of Bulgarian state-owned natural gas supplier Bulgargaz Nikolay Pavlov said that the supply of gas from Russia is not under threat, despite rising tensions between Russia and the west.
Pavlov said that the Bulgargaz management held a meeting with Gazprom and the Russian side provided assurances that there will be no interruptions in gas supply to Bulgaria. Gazprom has confirmed that natural gas supplies will be made not only for Bulgaria but also for the entire region, as well as Europe. The Russian company has assured that it will strictly comply with the agreements and will supply the quantities of natural gas.
Regarding gas supply from Azerbaijan, Pavlov said that, at present, Bulgaria receives the maximum possible quantities of natural gas, which the Azerbaijani supplier agrees to supply. The concluded agreements are entirely in the interest of the Bulgarian side. They exclude the possibility for the Azerbaijani side to activate a penal clause under the treaty, given the lack of this treaty route. In the absence of such contractual agreements, Bulgargaz would not only be unable to receive Azeri natural gas but would also pay a penalty for quantities it cannot receive, Pavlov said.
He pointed out that these interim agreements allow the Bulgarian market to reach quantities of natural gas, which are at the contract price from the first day of delivery.
