Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic responded to recent comments from Bulgarian authorities that the country will not prolong its gas supply contract with Russian Gazprom, which expires at the end of 2022, due to the invasion of Ukraine.
President Vucic said that Serbia expects to continue receiving Russian gas through Bulgaria via Balkan Stream – the extension of TurkStream gas pipeline, regardless the status of Bulgaria’s supply contract with Gazprom. He added that transit fees for the gas have already been paid.
Director of state-owned gas company Srbijagas Dusan Bajatovic said that Bulgaria has no other option but to extend gas supply deal with Russia because it will run out of gas without the supply from Russia. He added that Bulgaria’s current stance on this matter is a result of a political pressure from the EU to impose sanctions against Russia.
Last week, Bulgarian Minister of Finance Asen Vassilev said that the country will not hold talks with Russian gas company Gazprom on new gas supply contract due to tense situation over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Serbia is the only country in Europe which did not impose sanctions against Russia.
