Petar Vitanov, chairman of the parliamentary group of Progressive Bulgaria, defended the controversial agreement between Bulgargaz and Turkey’s Botas, saying the circumstances under which it was signed were fundamentally different from the current situation.
Commenting on the decision to freeze the contract for 15 months, Vitanov said the full details of the agreement had not yet been made public, but the initial information suggested that the development could represent a significant economic improvement for Bulgaria.
Further reading: Bulgaria, Turkey Freeze Botas Gas Deal for 15 Months, Launch Renegotiation
Following the meeting between Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, Bulgargaz and Botas signed a protocol suspending the current terms of the agreement for a temporary period. During those 15 months, Bulgaria will pay only for the capacity it actually uses, under improved conditions, while the two sides work toward renegotiating the deal.
Responding to criticism from the opposition over why a contract described as beneficial for Bulgaria was now being frozen, Vitanov argued that the agreement was signed during a completely different international and energy environment.
