Bulgarian-Turkish Working Groups to Speed Up Bilateral Energy Projects

Asen Vasilev, caretaker Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, and his Turkish counterpart Taner Yildiz have agreed on the creation of two working groups tasked with fast-tracking the main energy projects between the two countries.
Vasilev and Deputy Energy Minister Bozhan Stoyanov met with Yildiz Friday in Istanbul.
The working meeting was the first sitting of the joint Bulgarian-Turkish committee on energy issues, according to a media statement of Bulgaria's Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism.
The two working groups are to discuss the implementation of the Nabucco West project and the permit for lifting administrative restrictions on Bulgarian electricity exports to Turkey.
The first results of the work of the groups are to be presented on May 21 at the meeting of the Nabucco Committee in Bucharest.
The joint Bulgarian-Turkish committee will discuss a wide range of topics of mutual interest in the sphere of energy, gas and electricity interconnections being a priority.
Bulgaria and Turkey agreed that the committee had to function independently and concentrate exclusively on finding expert solutions to energy problems without tying them to other undecided bilateral issues.

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