Bulgaria's Parliament adopted a resolution assigning Minister of Energy to re-negotiate Bulgargaz-Botas agreement

At an extraordinary sitting on April 19, Bulgaria's Parliament voted to adopt a resolution assigning the Minister of Energy to re-negotiate the agreement between Bulgarian state-owned natural gas supplier Bulgargaz and Turkish energy company BOTAS signed on January 3, 2023 during the term of office of the caretaker government headed by PM Gulub Donev.

The purpose - the report of the Ad Hoc Committee of Inquiry into the Bulgargaz-BOTAS deal to be considered by the Parliament quickly after parts of it began to be leaked in recent days and cause political tension.

The MPs also decided that the report, which states that Bulgaria is losing millions from the contract, should be sent to the Bulgarian Prosecutor’s office, the European Public Prosecutor's Office and the State Agency for National Security.

After a few days during which the topic "Botas" did not enter the agenda, the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) MPs leaked the report from the Ad Hoc Committee.

It is clear from the work of the Ad Hoc Committee of Inquiry into the Bulgargaz-BOTAS deal that it is about serious corrupt practices. The report has been signed and we are ready to take it to the Bulgarian Prosecutor's office today and we are sending it with a letter to the European Public Prosecutor's Office," said Kornelia Ninova, BSP chair.

The report also says that at the time of signing the contract with the Turkish company, the Council of Ministers was not fully familiar with the document, it was not coordinated with all ministries as required, but only with 9. The Minister of Energy Rosen Hristov exceeded his powers by signing the contract with Botas in advance. The Speaker of Parliament called an extraordinary sitting, but it turned out that the report with the findings had not been submitted to the registry of the Parliament. “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” (WCC-DB) accused GERB of trying to block the meeting.

Mr. Speaker, with these actions of yours you are becoming a co-perpetrator of grave financial detriment to the Bulgarian state," said Venko Sabrutev, WCC-DB.

"As much as you try to flatter me in your peculiar way, I assure you that we are thinking in the same direction - that is, we are in parliamentary harmony with you," Rosen Zhelyazkov replied.

In the end, the report was submitted. The debate exacerbated the tension between GERB-UDF and WCC-DB

“The public supplier Bulgargaz, the largest gas trader in Bulgaria, is facing bankruptcy and they brought it to the brink, on purpose. Because the biggest sponsor is the second biggest trader in Bulgaria. Their biggest sponsor (of WCC-DB) Sasho Donchev officially transferred 500 thousand BGN to them," said Delyan Dobrev of GERB-UDF.

"Bulgarian citizens cannot pay BGN 1 million a day for someone's little secrets," said Kiril Petkov, WCC-DB.

"For 10 months they had all the power in this government. For 10 months there was no contract with Botas that was not beneficial for them", retorted Delyan Dobrev.

"You, Mr. Dobrev, you, Mr. Stankov when did you ask for re-negotiation? Did you hold a meeting of the Energy Committee, of which you are chairman? Did you invite these people, did you ask for a re-negotiation?", asked Martin Dimitrov of WCC-DB.

In between the political attacks, it became clear that premature termination of the contract would cost Bulgaria more than 2 billion dollars and that Bulgargaz had lost 40% of its market share in the last year. In the end, MPs voted to send the report to the Bulgarian Prosecutor’s office, the European Public Prosecutor's Office and the Energy Minister to re-negotiate the gas agreement with Botas.

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