Bulgaria freezes Botash gas contract with Turkey for 15 months

Bulgaria and Turkey have agreed to suspend the Botash gas‑capacity contract for 15 months after a meeting between President Radev and President Erdoğan in Ankara. Under the pause, Bulgaria will no longer pay the regular capacity fees; payments will be limited to gas actually delivered through Botash. The original deal had left Bulgaria with a debt of around $360 million and was criticised for its pricing and structure. Former energy minister Alexander Nikolov said the freeze is a “significant step” toward correcting the contract’s economic imbalances, noting that Bulgargaz used only 23 % of the contracted capacity in 2025 and continues to lose market share. Politicians such as former minister Ivan Hinnovski and MP Pejevski voiced support for renegotiating the terms, emphasizing the need for stable gas supplies while keeping the issue separate from broader political disputes.