Since the beginning of the year, Bulgaria has imported huge quantities of liquefied natural gas under the contract with the Turkish company "Botas", concluded by the official cabinet of Galab Donev. This was stated by President Rumen Radev, to the Bulgarian National Radio.
He described as a lie the claims of the ruling party that our country only pays penalties under the contract without importing natural gas. Radev said that for a year our country has not paid Turkey under the contract and the issue is about to be settled politically.
"For cases like the contract with "Botas" Our people have an interesting saying: "A bad dog tied to a plum tree - does not eat, but does not give to others". Because the rulers neither fully use this contract to satisfy domestic consumption, nor sell to third parties beyond its capacity, nor renegotiate it. Apparently this is profitable for attacks on the presidential institution".
The President called the claims of the rulers that our country does not import quantities of natural gas under the contract, but only owes penalties, a blatant lie:
"Since the beginning of this year, millions of megawatt-hours of liquefied gas have been imported through "Botas". You may ask how long has the liquefied gas terminal in Alexandroupolis not been operating. And what are they doing right now? Well, of course, they use "Botas", but they constantly say and lie that they don't use it," commented President Radev.
The head of state also asked the majority other questions: Why did they suspend the contract for the import of Russian gas with "Gazprom" overnight, without providing any alternative for supplies, as well as why did they sabotage the preparation of real contracts for the sale of natural gas to Serbia and Hungary under the contract with "Botas", offering transit fees:
"And why are they misleading us that "Bulgargaz" is threatened with bankruptcy because of "Botas", given that it has not been paid to the Turkish side for a year. This issue will also be settled politically," pointed out the president.