Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov on Wednesday denounced “unacceptable blackmail” after the Russian group Gazprom stopped gas supplies to the country and Polandboth members of the European Union (EU).
The suspension, which was decided because these countries did not pay for supplies in rubles, as Russia is demanding in response to Western sanctions, “represents a serious breach of contract,” Petkov said. “We will not give in to such blackmail,” he said.
The prime minister added that Bulgaria will “review all contracts with Gazprom, including transit contracts” for third countries like Hungary.
The Hungarian government said that at the moment “the supply of natural gas is normal”. The country’s foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto, is expected to consult with the Bulgarian government in the coming hours.
In a statement, Gazprom said it had informed Bulgaria’s Bulgargaz and Poland’s PGNiG about the “suspension of gas supplies from April 27 pending payment in Russian currency.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in March that the country would only accept payments for gas supplies in rubles in response to Western sanctions against Moscow over the war in Ukraine.
The Bulgarian Prime Minister stressed that there are currently no restrictions on consumption. “The government is prepared for this type of scenario,” he said.