Representatives of the Turkish energy company BOTAŞ are coming to Bulgaria for negotiations with Bulgargaz regarding Bulgaria's request to review the agreement between the two companies. This was one of the topics discussed by Bulgaria’s Minister of Energy Vladimir Malinov and his Turkish counterpart Alparlslan Bayraktar at a meeting in Istanbul a week ago.

On April 19, 2024, Bulgaria’s National Assembly tasked the Minister of Energy with taking the necessary steps to renegotiate the agreement between Bulgargaz and BOTAŞ for reserving access to Turkish LNG terminals. The agreement obliges Bulgaria to pay over 4 billion Leva (more than EUR 2 billion), even if no gas is imported from Turkiye. In its current form, the contract could lead to the bankruptcy of Bulgargaz. However, according to BOTAŞ, the proposed changes to the contract would "disrupt the basic dynamics of the agreement and would make its implementation impossible''. The agreement was signed in early 2023 by the caretaker cabinet headed by Prime Minister Galab Donev.

• Bulgaria and Turkey sign strategic gas agreement

  
  

• Bulgaria offers Ukraine gas from Turkish terminals

  
  

• European Commission investigates the deal between Bulgargaz and the Turkish BOTAS