site.btaPresident Plevneliev: "Turkey Is Important for Bulgaria Because We have Strategic Goal to Diversify Energy Supplies"

President Plevneliev: "Turkey Is Important for
Bulgaria Because We have
Strategic Goal to Diversify Energy Supplies"


Ankara/Sofia, August 28 (BTA) - President Rosen Plevneliev said
in Ankara that Turkey is extremely important for Bulgaria
because the two countries have a strategic goal to diversify
energy supplies, said his Press Secretariat. Plevneliev was
among the guests at the ceremony for the inauguration of Recep
Tayyip Erdogan.

Plevneliev said that on September 20 and 21, together with the
newly elected President of Turkey and the Presidents of Greece,
Azerbaijan, Albania and other countries, he will be in Baku for
the first-sod ceremony of the trans-Adriatic pipeline. He
recalled that a memorandum has been signed to allow the purchase
of gas by Bulgaria through the gas interconnector with Greece
and noted that Bulgaria can purchase through Turkey not just gas
from Azerbaijan but also from Iran "and why not from Qatar and
other suppliers", because Turkey has all the infrastructure this
takes.

Plevneliev said that the Bulgaria-Turkey gas interconnector can
improve his country's energy efficiency.

He said that there is an opportunity for Bulgaria to export
electricity and added that it can be a good partner and supplier
for Turkey which is a large market, needs electricity and
various energy products and services.

The President also noted the opportunities for cooperation with
Turkey in trade, infrastructure projects, tourism, logistics and
transport services. He said that the two countries are resolved
to double the commercial exchange in the next few years. "We
also want to see more Turkish investments in Bulgaria and more
Bulgarian investments in Turkey."

The commodity exchange stood at 4,700 million US dollars in
2013.

Turkey is Bulgaria's second biggest supplier after Germany.
"This is fully within the interest of the Bulgarian economy and
will create jobs and an economic perspective," Plevneliev also
commented.

The implementation of infrastructure projects, such as the
Maritsa highway, the railway tunnel beneath the Bosphorus and
the construction of a high-speed rail connection between Plovdiv
and Istanbul would turn Bulgaria into a centre for trade
between Europe, Turkey, the Middle East and Asia, said the
President.

He said that Turkey is a good neighbour and strategic partner
for Bulgaria, and stressed the importance of working to enhance
confidence understanding, partnership, investment and trade.
PK/LN, TK/