Asen Vasilev, caretaker Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, has said that the consequences of a potential unilateral declassification of the gas supply contract with Gazprom are yet to be studied. Photo by BGNESPhoto by BGNES

Bulgaria is studying the opportunities to resort to unilateral declassification of the gas supply contract between Bulgaria and Gazprom, according to Asen Vasilev, caretaker Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism.

Vasilev's statement, as cited by investor.bg, came after the fourth sitting of the public council on energy at the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism on Friday.

The sitting was devoted to price-setting in the energy sector.

The participants in the discussion drew attention to the fact that the tariffs of Russian Gazprom for other EU member states were public, unlike the prices for Bulgaria.

Speaking after the meeting, Vasilev made clear that the research conducted so far indicated that Bulgaria could not publish the text of its gas supply contract with Gazprom, adding that it was yet to be revealed what a unilateral declassification would cost the country.

During the first sitting of the public council on energy, the participants demanded that all contracts in the energy sector be made public, including the contracts with Russian giants Gazprom and Atomstroyexport.

Over 100 contracts have already been made public, among which the privatization contracts for the power distributors and some of the contracts of the National Electric Company (NEK) for purchasing energy from thermal power plants.