The interrogation of the former acting Energy Minister Rosen Hristov at the Anti-Corruption Commission continued for more than 6 hours, BNT reported. Upon entering, he stated that he had been summoned as a witness.
The former head of "Bulgargaz" Denitsa Zlateva was also summoned for questioning on Thursday, but she informed investigators that she was urgently admitted to hospital and could not appear.
According to BNT sources yesterday, during the searches and seizures from Hristov's home, 80 thousand euros in cash were seized, and from Denitsa Zlateva's home - 100 thousand leva. Hristov did not deny this information, stating that he could not provide data from the investigation. After the end of the interrogation, Rosen Hristov said that he was being asked about things that he had already commented on, and had also answered questions in parliament during several hearings. According to him, the problem is not in the contract with the Turkish company "Botas", but in its application and the changed market circumstances after its signing.
"They asked questions that I had already answered. I hope that we were able to provide more details so that this investigation can move forward more quickly and this case can be concluded. I hope that they are satisfied with my answers, they were objective. I used everything I know. I have always cooperated. I have already been heard many times in parliament, in a committee, in a plenary hall, and in the National Security Agency, we gave testimony. At the moment I do not have any new information on the case", explained Rosen Hristov.
According to him, the problem is in the application of the contract afterwards.
"The problem is in the application of the contract. The question is why the contract is not being used to its full potential - one of the likely reasons is the change in the market situation. By 2022, absolutely everyone in Europe was saying that we should abandon supplies of Russian gas and Russian energy sources. Over time, this did not happen", commented Rosen Hristov.
He is categorical that the contract was strategically important for Bulgaria.
"The problem is not in the contract. When it was signed, absolutely everything was respected. It was strategic and still is strategic. The refusal of Russian gas has not been canceled, it is postponed in time. So in the whole story, the contract will probably turn out to be extremely important both financially and strategically. What can be done at the moment is active negotiations in this transit period, to reduce possible payments. In energy, it is a practice, when market conditions deviate too much, to negotiate, even though there are no such clauses in them. Such cases are not one or two precedents", explained the former acting Minister of Energy.
Rosen Hristov's lawyer - Lyudmil Rangelov, explained that during the 6-hour interrogation they did not talk about things that were not known to the public.
"Anyway, the public comments about this agreement had to end somehow and the logical way is to end with a pre-trial proceeding that would clarify whether there is damage, whether there are guilty persons. There is no way to satisfy public opinion without such an investigation", commented lawyer Lyudmil Rangelov.