Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov denied the statement of former President Georgi Parvanov that the failure of the South Stream gas project is a clear signal about the collapse of the country’s foreign policy and its possible isolation. In Minister Mitov’s view, Bulgaria is not endangered of international isolation. With regard to the country’s stand in the energy sphere, the talks with other countries are going well, Mitov further said. Daniel Mitov backed his words with the fact that the European Commission has established a high-level group which is in charge of the talks regarding the energy security of Southeast and Central Europe. His thesis was supported by several international events that occurred in the last few days.

During his meeting in Paris with his French counterpart Francois Hollande, Bulgaria’s Premier Boyko Borissov presented again the necessity of possible diversification of the gas supplies linked with the construction of a gas distribution hub on Bulgarian territory, the future development of the South Stream project, the construction of the gas interconnections between the countries, the oil prospecting of Total, Repsol and OMV companies in the Black Sea, etc. In Premier Borissov’s view, France is the right country, which would help Bulgaria fulfill its energy goals. This is so, because France is a state with a strong influence in the EU and the European Commission. It is also a major participant in the EU-Russia relations. President Hollande made it clear that France was supporting Bulgaria’s ambitions regarding its energy diversification. Mr Hollande further said that French Premier Manuel Valls also expressed willingness to contribute to the country’s energy diversification through the help of French energy giant EDF which produces nuclear energy. In October 2014, Kozloduy nuclear power plant signed an agreement with a Russian-French consortium consisting of Rosenergoatom, Rosatom Service and EDF, according to which the life of its 5^th nuclear unit will be extended. The three companies will analyze the potential of the nuclear unit and decide how much its life could be extended.

Meanwhile, President Plevneliev was discussing in Zagreb energy issues with his Croatian counterpart Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic. One of the main topics of discussion regarded the necessity of better energy connectivity between the energy infrastructures of the countries in Southeast Europe and the launch of a regional energy market, which would reduce the dependence of the countries on one energy supplier only.

Several days ago, during a sitting of the EU Energy Ministers in Riga (Latvia), the Bulgarian delegation announced that this country would soon launch a tender bid and invite the companies who wish to make gas and oil prospecting in the Black Sea. It also became clear that Bulgaria’s cabinet is making efforts to change the direction of the gas supplies. We are talking about its ambition to secure gas supplies through the Southern Gas Corridor and receive gas from Azerbaijan and other alternative suppliers, rather than Russian gas transited through Turkey only.

Obviously, Bulgaria is not in a state of a foreign political isolation. However, the future success of its energy policy would depend on the time its main goals are fulfilled, because fulfilling the purposes in the power engineering field usually happens too slowly.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov