The European Commission (EC) confirmed Friday that it is discussing with Sofia the introduction of a Bulgarian fee on Russian gas transits. "We are assessing and discussing with the Bulgarian authorities this recently enacted measure," EC Spokesperson Olof Gill said as he took a reporter's question.
"I can add that the EU sanctions policy towards Russia is designed, reviewed and adopted at EU level as has been the case since the beginning of the Russian aggression in Ukraine," the Spokesperson said.
Bulgaria enacted a fee of BGN 20/MWh for Russian gas piped to and through Bulgaria, on October 13. The government said that it would generate additional revenue for the country, would ensure level playing field of Russian pipeline gas and alternative non-Russian gas supplies, and reduce Russian revenues used in its war of aggression in Ukraine. Hungary and Serbia have slammed the new Bulgarian fee claiming that it would increase the price they pay for the Russian gas that they still use. President Rumen Radev of Bulgaria has joined the critics of the fee, saying that with it the government is acting against the interests of an EU and NATO partner country {Hungary) and a neighbour (Serbia), threatens to undermine Bulgaria's role as a gas transiting country and will bring to failure Bulgarian gas transmission and storage operator Bulgartransgaz.
/NF/
news.modal.text
