Bulgaria must hold local referendums in Dobrudzha on shale gas exploration and production, said Monday left-wing MP Anton Kutev at a press conference in Siistra.

The fact that US Ambassador James Warlick is "explicitly lobbying for shale gas production in Bulgaria is very dangerous", according to Kutev.

He believes that the US considers this a geopolitical move aimed at diversifying gas supplies from Russia.

According to the socialist MP, the entry of companies like Chevron into Bulgaria will trick the local political elite into making objectionable decisions.

Kutev claims that shale gas extraction in Bulgaria is unprofitable from a technological point of view and will also do damage to the environment.

In his words, some regions in the US have banned shale gas production near populated areas.

Georgi Bozhinov, another left-wing MP, recently demanded a moratorium on shale gas exploration.

According to Bozhinov, the situation in Bulgaria is unique because above the shale gas, which is believed to be trapped underground over 1/4th of Bulgaria's territory, is located Bulgaria's biggest underground freshwater unit. It is in direct contact with all surfaces, including drinking water from Yantra, Razgrad, Targovishte, Novi Pazar, Shumen, Dobrich, Albena and Varna.

Over the weekend, Environment Minister Nona Karazdhova dismissed such allegations as populist threats about the exploration of mineral resources.

She explained that the exploration works were not harmful to the environment, which was why neither Bulgarian nor European laws required any environmental procedures.

According to Karadzhova, if shale gas is found and the company is granted a commercial discovery certificate and it decides to operate under concession, another environment impact assessment procedure will be opened over the investment project, together with an impact assessment on the biodiversity and the Natura 2000 sites.

At a Sunday referendum, the residents of the Gorna Malina municipality voted down the construction of quarries, mines and landfills.