Borissov to Erdogan: Bulgaria Needs Out of the Botas Gas Deal

GERB leader Boyko Borissov has revealed that during his recent visit to Istanbul, he raised the issue of the gas transmission contract with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Borissov urged Erdogan to work toward mutually beneficial terms that would allow the agreement with Botas to be canceled.

According to Borissov, he warned his Turkish counterparts that if Ankara does not show goodwill in resolving the issue, Bulgaria will consider the principles of good neighborly relations to be breached. “This contract is extremely unfavorable for Bulgaria,” Borissov said, emphasizing that the country already owes over half a billion leva. He added that the responsibility now lies with both sides to find a way out.

The controversial agreement in question was signed at the beginning of 2023 between Bulgaria’s state-owned gas company Bulgargaz and Turkey’s Botas, which operates the country’s gas infrastructure and trades in natural gas. Under its terms, Bulgaria is committed to paying Turkey nearly one million leva daily in transmission fees, even when the service is not fully utilized.