Bulgaria Announces Plans to Halt Russian Gas Transit and Shift Energy Strategy
In an official statement, Bulgaria revealed its strategic intentions to overhaul its energy policies, emphasizing a decisive move away from Russian gas reliance.
Prime Minister Rossen Jelyazkov declared that the country plans to terminate all existing transit agreements for Russian natural gas by next year, and by 2028, it aims to completely exclude Russian gas from its energy mix.
This significant policy shift signals Bulgaria’s intention to diversify its energy sources, primarily by increasing imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) through specialized terminals.
Despite these developments, the Bulgarian government assures that the country will continue to purchase Russian oil, refusing to yield to external political pressures, including remarks made by former US President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, the European Commission is preparing a new wave of sanctions against Russia, aiming to ban Russian LNG from January 1, 2027, and to phase out Russian oil entirely within the same timeframe.
These measures are part of the EU’s broader long-term strategy to transition to alternative energy sources and reduce dependence on Russian energy supplies.