10.08.2022, Sofia.
The Chief Executive Officer of Bulgaria’s largest gas company Bulgargaz Lyudmil Yotsov realized only after the termination of gas supplies from Russia that the demand to switch to ruble payments was not a joke. Difficulties of understanding came to light during a public discussion of the price of natural gas, the Bulgarian news portal Dnevnik reported on August 10.
“To be honest, we thought it was a joke,” were the words of Bulgargaz Executive Officer Lyudmil Yotsov in response to criticism from the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) for a delayed reaction after Russia’s Gazprom refused to supply gas to Bulgaria.
“You were warned, you didn’t believe it, but you, as the head of Bulgaria’s largest gas company, should have intervened,” head of Bulgaria’s Energy and Water Regulatory Commission Ivan Ivanov told Yotsov.
The exchange of remarks between Yotsov and EWRC Chairman Ivanov took place during a public discussion of the price of natural gas for August. Bulgargaz has announced a 60 percent increase, and EWRC is expected to approve it on August 12.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on March 31 banning the acceptance of foreign currency in payments for gas supplies. The first two countries to have their gas cut off on this basis were Bulgaria and Poland.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
