Since the crisis broke out in Ukraine, Sofia has repeatedly voiced fears over possible dire consequences for Bulgaria. Facts released earlier this week confirm that such fears are well-grounded. Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin announced that Bulgarian exports to Ukraine had contracted by 50-70%. This has translated into a 7% drop in the country’s entire exports. The developments have confirmed fears over a possible cut off of Russian natural gas supplies via Ukraine that Bulgaria is almost fully dependent on. The European Commission has tried to resolve the problem with the transit of Russian gas via Ukraine by suggesting to the biggest European consumers to buy and inject gas into that country’s underground storage facilities. In this way Europe would cater for uninterrupted gas supplies next winter. This activity was so far the work of Ukraine itself, however it has currently refused to pay for even its own gas consumption out of severe money shortages. Several companies have urged the EC to provide political guarantees that gas injected in Ukrainian storage facilities will not disappear and that their rights of ownership will not be violated. The Commission however has been unable to provide such guarantees. Minister Vigenin warned the Ukrainian authorities that gas transit could not be the subject of bilateral relations between Russia and Ukraine and that they have to comply with their commitments. The minister voiced fears that risks for Bulgaria arising from the situation in Ukraine might deepen with time. It seems that these fears are realistic too, because the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis is not nearing, and it could be that it is getting even further away in time. So far, the only fears that have not been confirmed by reality have to do with the forecasts for negative effects on tourism. However they could turn into a reality in case the situation worsens. Last year Bulgaria welcomed 100,000 holidaymakers rom Belarus and the numbers are set to rise this year but unfortunately, their shortest route to this country goes across Ukraine. Amid the developments there, Sofia had to look for bypass routes that go through three Schengen countries. For the time being, it has negotiated issuance of transit visas for Belarusian tourists in Slovakia, but their way to Bulgaria will no longer be the shortest. Anyway, the situation with tourists will be fully clarified in two months.