The head of private gas supplier Overgas on Sunday he would talk to Russian energy officials in the beginning of the week.

His first briefing for the media comes after developments in late December, when Bulgarian authorities announced Gazprom was halting supplies to Overgas on January 01.

Overgas and Bulgaria's state-owned supplier Bulgargaz then signed a contract providing emergency amounts of gas to the private company, which carries out deliveries to 55 000 households and more than 3000 businesses.

The Russian Foreign Ministry says Gazprom and Overgas have "commercial issues" to smooth out, but Overgas insists it has no overdue payments to the Russian energy giant or to any other company.

Overgas officials earlier argued there was a plot against the company orchestrated by someone seeking to steal its businesses.

On Sunday Donchev denied any conflict with Gazprom and made clear he would speak to company officials on Monday, when the Russian winter holidays are over.

Asked whether there was any pressure on him applied by the government, Donchev retorted: "What was the Prime Minister doing in the vaudeville there? Let's hope he is not the mastermind, but that he is taking part is obvious."

Borisov, who at a press conference on December 31 slammed Overgas for not reporting earlier it was facing a halt in supplies, later argued there developments were part of "a plot against the government".

Overgas, Inc. is a joint venture of Overgas, Gazprom and the latter company's export arm, Gazprom Export.