Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sought to secure energy ties with Bulgaria on Thursday, as the smaller nation looks for other gas providers and casts doubt on a Russian nuclear plant project.
Putin spoke on the phone to Bulgaria's pro-European Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, whose newly-elected centre-right government is reviewing its participation in major energy projects because of the economic crisis.
"The two discussed… ways to strengthen the traditionally good political relations between Bulgaria and Russia and the projects on which the two countries are partners," the Bulgarian government said in a statement.
Putin and Borisov specifically discussed the construction of the new Belene nuclear plant on the Danube by the Russian company Atomstroyexport, whose initial price of 4.0-billion-euros has already shot up according to experts.
They also talked about the Russia-backed South Stream pipeline to pump Russian natural gas to Europe under the Black Sea, the government said.
"Our country is currently studying the details on the already concluded agreements," Borisov was quoted as telling his Russian counterpart.
The two leaders agreed to meet to discuss the projects on September 1 on the sidelines of a war memorial ceremony in Poland, a statement from Putin's office said.
The phone call came just hours after Borisov met with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, who backs the planned EU-backed Nabucco pipeline that aims to break Russia's virtual monopoly on Caspian gas exports.
Berdymukhamedov said Turkmenistan would sell Bulgaria over two billion cubic metres of gas a year once Nabucco becomes operational in 2014.
The economic crisis has prompted Bulgaria, which is almost fully dependent on Russia for its oil and gas supplies, to reconsider major energy projects including the 2,000-megawatt Belene plant.
Bulgaria was also badly hit in the heart of winter earlier this year when a dispute between Russia and Ukraine cut off its gas supply from Russia, prompting the government to seek alternative providers of gas.
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