site.btaCaretaker Energy Minister Prioritizes Stable, Competitive, Sustainable Energy Sector

Protecting the national interest and developing a stable, competitive and sustainable energy sector will be the main priorities of caretaker Energy Minister Traicho Traikov.

The newly appointed minister took over from his predecessor, Zhecho Stankov, at a ceremony at the Energy Ministry on Thursday, the institution said.

Stankov briefed his successor on the ministry’s key challenges and achievements over the past year. These included securing an exemption from US sanctions for Bulgarian subsidiaries of Lukoil, ensuring this country’s participation as an investor in oil and natural gas exploration in the Black Sea, and advancing construction work on the Vertical Gas Corridor, among other projects.

For his part, Traikov said that the Energy Ministry team would continue to protect the national interest and further develop a stable, competitive and sustainable energy sector.

Traikov was nominated as caretaker Energy Minister in the cabinet of Andrey Gurov. Until now, he served as Mayor of Sofia’s Sredets District. Between 2009 and 2012, he was minister of economy, energy and tourism.