After shunning the prospect of a Bulgarian Stream pipeline going through Bulgaria back in 2014 and a new nuclear plan in 2012 following a visit from Senator McCain and residual Western pressure to abandon the projects, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev travelled to Moscow last week to plead with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his energy ministers to resume the project to construct the nuclear plan and a gas hub in Bulgaria.
Following a phone conversation between Putin and Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, news was released that neither party was opposed to the pipeline’s progress through Bulgaria.
TASS reports:
MOSCOW, May 30. /TASS/. The Presidents of Russia and Turkey do not object to the extension of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline towards Bulgaria, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov told a press conference following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“President Putin informed us that yesterday they talked with the President of Turkey. No one objected to the Turkish Stream extension in the direction of Bulgaria,” Borisov said.
The possibility of laying the Turkish Stream pipeline to Europe via Bulgaria is being considered, Vladimir Putin also added.
“We and our Turkish partners have always discussed an option of bringing the Turkish Stream to Europe including through Bulgaria. Yesterday, Turkish President Erdogan confirmed this again in our phone conversation. We are working on it in practical terms with our Turkish friends, with Bulgarian friends,” the Russian president said.
Meanwhile, Bulgaria is already dependent on Russia for 89% of its petroleum and 100% of its natural gas, along with all of the nuclear fuel which Bulgaria requires for its two nuclear reactors at the Kozloduy nuclear plant. After caving to Western pressure to abandon energy prospects which were clearly in the best interests of Bulgaria, it is now realizing the consequences of this action and is returning its willingness to cooperate with Russia on its much needed energy projects.
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