The Gazprom headquarters hosted today a working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Company's Management Committee and Delyan Dobrev, Bulgarian Economy, Energy and Tourism Minister.

The meeting addressed the current issues of Russian-Bulgarian cooperation in the energy sector. The parties paid special attention to the South Stream project being implemented within the preset deadlines.

In addition, Alexey Miller and Delyan Dobrev lauded cooperation in the field of current and future supplies of Russian gas to Bulgaria.

Background

In 2011 Gazprom supplied Bulgaria with 2.81 billion cubic meters of gas.

With a view to diversify the natural gas export routes Gazprom is implementing the project for construction of a gas pipeline running under the Black Sea to the countries of Southern and Central Europe – the South Stream project.

Intergovernmental agreements were signed with Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia and Austria in order to implement the onshore gas pipeline section.

In July 2010 Russia and Bulgaria inked the Roadmap to perform the feasibility study for the Bulgarian section of the South Stream project.

In pursuance of the Roadmap, on October 25, 2010 Gazprom and Bulgarian Energy Holding signed the Agreement on the feasibility study for the Bulgarian section of the South Stream project.

On November 13, 2010 Gazprom and Bulgarian Energy Holding signed the Shareholders Agreement and the Articles of Association for the South Stream Bulgaria AD joint project company (JPC) established on a parity basis for the South Stream project implementation in Bulgaria. The JPC was registered in December 2010.

On December 16, 2011 Gazprom and Bulgarian Energy Holding completed the legal procedures related to the feasibility study done by the contractor for the Bulgarian section of the South Stream gas pipeline.