US Ambassador in Sofia James Warlick has called for making public Bulgaria’s energy deals with Russia.

“The Bulgarians probably would like to know why their natural gas price went up 30%, and whether it won’t increase more in the next 5-10 years. However, there is no way of knowing that because Bulgaria’s energy contracts with Russia are secret,” His Excellency stated Wednesday on the Bulgarian National Radio.

His statement comes a day after Russian Deputy PM Viktor Zubkov visited Sofia, at a moment of crucial negotiations between Bulgaria and Russia for the three large-scale joint energy projects – the South Stream gas transit pipeline, the Belene Nuclear Power Plant, the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, as well as for renegotiating the condition of buying Russian natural gas. Bulgaria is asking for reduced prices and elimination of gas trade intermediaries.

Warlick made his comments before meeting Bulgarian Minister of Economy, Energy, and Transport, Traicho Traikov, on Wednesday. Earlier the same day Traikov himself announced that Bulgaria will request from Russia a gas price reduction of 25%-33%, and for making public any bilateral natural gas trade agreements.

Last week Traikov revealed that the Borisov government had asked the Gazprom for making public the existing natural gas deals (renegotiated in 2006) but the Russians had refused which is their right according to clauses that require the consent of both parties to make the content of the documents available to the public.

In his Wednesday’s comments, the American Ambassador also pointed out the importance of the diversification of energy sources for Bulgaria and the Balkans.

“This is not about Russia in particular. They are reliable suppliers and are here to do business. This is about diversifying the supplies for the Bulgarian people,” Warlick commented.

He has expressed his optimism about the realization of the Nabucco gas transit pipeline, an alternative to South Stream backed by the EU and the US.

In his words, he expects that the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov will fulfill his promise to go ahead with the construction of the Belene nuclear power plant only if the government finds a strategic foreign investor and the project is economically feasible.

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