Opposition: South Stream, Gas Deals Not Good for Bulgaria

Bulgaria did not actually achieve a lower price for natural gas deliveries from Russia, stated Thursday ex-Minister of Energy and current opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party MP Petar Dimitrov.

Thursday it was announced that Bulgaria concluded a new 10-year gas delivery contract with Gazprom, which sets prices at 20% lower than what they were.

"Those 20% are not more than what has already been agreed in April. The 11% decrease bargained back then, plus decreases in prices of oil derivatives that are part of the price-formation formula, make just those 20%," said Dimitrov.

According to the opposition MP, the Bulgarian cabinet headed by PM Boyko Borisov is trying to mislead the public that a new decrease in prices has been achieved.

As part of Thursday's visit by Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller in Sofia, Bulgaria and Russia also signed an investment agreement for Bulgaria's participation in the South Stream gas pipeline project.

"Regarding South Stream, our fears were confirmed that Bulgaria will lose the gas delivery route through Ukraine and in the future will get Russian gas only via South Stream," said Dimitrov.

According to the socialist MP, who was Bulgaria's Economy and Energy Minister 2007-9, this is a step back in terms of gas delivery diversification for Bulgaria.

Dimitrov was also negative regarding the stipulation he said is included in the agreement that Bulgaria will receive no transit fees from South Stream in the next 15 years.