A summit-level meeting of all EU energy ministers is to be held in Bulgaria in three weeks' time, the country's Deputy PM for EU Funds and Economic Policy Tomislav Donchev announced on Sunday.

Donchev told the Bulgarian National Television the event could produce decisions on the "new energy projects" to be carried out in the bloc.

In his words, the importance of Bulgaria, alongside geopolitical risks, had "grown a lot" in the current situation, a fact he also believes could explain the visits of UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and US Secretary of State John Kerry last week. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is also due in Bulgaria sometime by the end of January.

Donchev asserted the government would not allow for Bulgaria to become a "bargaining chip" in the West-Russia dialogue.

Bulgaria is hoping to have its proposal, which involves the creation of a gas hub at the Black Sea coast, pushed up on the European agenda. Under Sofia's plans the hub should be where the abandoned South Stream pipeline was to land, and this would require the construction of South Stream's offshore section which did not start after Russia suspended the project in December.

Moscow however clearly stated this week it would proceed with the so-called "Turkish Stream" instead. Russian President Vladimir Putin had cited Bulgaria's reluctance to issue construction permits for the onshore section as a reason to scrap the project.

On Sunday Donchev also said in the interview for the public broadcaster that regardless of what projects are launched, Bulgaria will be unable to end dependence on Russian gas in the short-term due to the "specific" gas grid developed here.

His words come against the backdrop of US Secretary of State John Kerry's visit to Sofia on Thursday during which he stated Washington was committed to helping Sofia reduce its exclusive dependence on Russian energy resources.

Donchev reminded Bulgaria had already initiated upgrades to the infrastructure and was also intending to modernize the energy market, referring to its further liberalization.

Commenting on reports that Kerry had discussed the prospects of lifting an embargo on shale gas exploration and drilling imposed in Bulgaria a few years ago, he insisted that had not been put into question in the course of the official meetings.

He also said that the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) would bring about benefits to both Europe and the US, but the subject of GMO and the quality of food products should be settled very carefully, also informing the public on results.

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