Bulgargaz denies access to BOTAŞ gas agreement protocol

Korneliya Ninova, leader of the Unbreakable Bulgaria party, announced her intention to appeal a decision by the state-owned company Bulgargaz to withhold the full text of an interim protocol regarding its agreement with the Turkish state company BOTAŞ.

Bulgargaz denied the request for information under the Access to Public Information Act, citing objections from BOTAŞ. The company stated that according to legal provisions, information cannot be provided if a third party explicitly disagrees and it affects their interests. While Bulgargaz provided partial details, Ninova argues that the refusal to disclose the full content raises questions regarding the terms of the deal and the confidentiality regime.

The available information indicates that the interim protocol from December 2022 involved a 15-month suspension of the ‘transport or pay’ clause, allowing Bulgargaz to pay for gas capacity based on actual quantities transported through the Strandzha/Malkochlar point at lower prices. Ninova noted that the response from Bulgargaz mentioned termination conditions for the first time, a detail previously unknown, and she intends to bring the matter to the media and Parliament.