EU discusses Bulgaria’s gas transit tax that has angered Hungary and Serbia
1 year, 2 months ago

EU discusses Bulgaria’s gas transit tax that has angered Hungary and Serbia

Associated Press  

SOFIA, Bulgaria — The European Commission said Friday it is discussing with Bulgaria its introduction of a fee on Russian gas transits, a measure that has angered EU co-member Hungary as well as Serbia — both recipients of Russian gas. The new tax of 10 euros per megawatt-hour on the Russian gas transfers was introduced along with a special Bulgarian law implementing sanctions against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine. The extraordinary transit fee has stirred anger in Serbia and Hungary, two of the recipients of Russian gas through the Turk Stream pipeline and a link via Bulgaria that is estimated to deliver an average of 43-45 million cubic meters per day. The new tax on Russian gas prompted Hungarian and Serbian officials to accuse Bulgaria of a “hostile” act against their countries, which they said jeopardizes both countries’ energy security. “It is an attempt to squeeze out Russian gas without giving us any alternative,” said Dusan Bajatovic, the head of Serbia’s gas monopoly Srbijagas, recently.

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History of this topic

EXPLAINER: Why is natural gas still flowing from Russia to Europe across Ukraine?
4 months, 1 week ago

EXPLAINER: Why is natural gas still flowing from Russia to Europe across Ukraine?

Associated Press  

FRANKFURT, Germany — It’s one of the more improbable aspects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: Even after 2 1/2 years of war and repeated rounds of sanctions, Russian natural gas keeps flowing through Ukraine’s pipeline network to customers in Europe. That hasn’t changed despite Ukraine apparently taking control of a gas measuring station near the Russian town of Sudzha as …

Hungary asks EU to take action against Bulgaria’s transit tax on Russian gas
1 year, 1 month ago

Hungary asks EU to take action against Bulgaria’s transit tax on Russian gas

Associated Press  

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungary has asked the European Union’s executive to open a legal procedure against Bulgaria over a tax it recently imposed on Russian natural gas passing through its territory, a government minister said on Friday. Bulgaria believes the tax, which it levied in October, will reduce the privileged position of Russia’s state-owned energy company Gazprom in southeastern Europe …

Serbia will increase supplies of Russian natural gas to Hungary if Ukraine pulls out of transit deal
1 year, 4 months ago

Serbia will increase supplies of Russian natural gas to Hungary if Ukraine pulls out of transit deal

Associated Press  

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Serbia will provide Hungary with increased shipments of Russian natural gas if Ukraine follows through on ending a gas transit agreement with Russia, Hungary’s foreign minister said Sunday. Speaking in a taped message, Peter Szijjarto said Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vučić, had met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Budapest, and assured him that Serbia would be …

Bulgaria signs deal for nuclear fuel from non-Russian source
2 years ago

Bulgaria signs deal for nuclear fuel from non-Russian source

Associated Press  

SOFIA, Bulgaria — Bulgaria’s only nuclear plant on Thursday signed a deal with Westinghouse Electric Sweden to provide nuclear fuel for one of its reactors, in a bid to diversify its energy supplies, The Kozloduy plant currently uses nuclear fuel supplied by Russian firm Rosatom to operate the two Russian-designed VVER-1000 nuclear reactors that generate about one-third of the EU …

Bulgaria to hold early election after coalition talks fail
2 years, 4 months ago

Bulgaria to hold early election after coalition talks fail

Associated Press  

SOFIA, Bulgaria — Bulgaria is heading to a new parliamentary election this fall after the three largest parties in parliament failed to find common ground for a coalition government. Earlier, the two main groups in parliament — the reformist We Continue the Change party and the center right GERB party — failed to end the European Union and NATO member’s …

Serbia ignores EU sanctions, secures gas deal with Putin
2 years, 6 months ago

Serbia ignores EU sanctions, secures gas deal with Putin

Associated Press  

BELGRADE, Serbia — As the war in Ukraine rages, Serbia’s president announced that he has secured an “extremely favorable” natural gas deal with Russia during a telephone conversation Sunday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The gas deal is likely to be signed during a visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Belgrade early in June — a rare visit …

Serbia secures gas deal with Putin, as West boycotts Russia
2 years, 6 months ago

Serbia secures gas deal with Putin, as West boycotts Russia

Al Jazeera  

Serbian president refuses to explicitly condemn Russian invasion of Ukraine, has not joined Western sanctions on Moscow. Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic has announced that he has secured an “extremely favourable” three-year natural gas supply deal with Russia, amid efforts by the European Union to phase out Russian energy supplies. As the war in Ukraine rages, Serbia’s president has announced that …

Bulgaria, where some are pro-Russian, divided after gas cutoff
2 years, 7 months ago

Bulgaria, where some are pro-Russian, divided after gas cutoff

Al Jazeera  

More than a loss of energy supply, Moscow’s move amid the Ukraine war has fortified a growing separation between the long-standing allies. Vasil Dimitrov, 60, a conservator-restorer, said Moscow’s attitude towards Sofia has for a long time been disrespectful, with Russia’s Ambassador to Bulgaria Eleonora Mitrofanova calling pro-Ukraine supporters “western substrates”. “The rhetoric we have been hearing for several months …

EU says will not bend to gas 'blackmail' as Russia invades deeper into Ukraine
2 years, 7 months ago

EU says will not bend to gas 'blackmail' as Russia invades deeper into Ukraine

Firstpost  

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued his own warning, saying that if Western forces intervene in Ukraine, they will face a ’lightning-fast’ military response Brussels: The European Union has warned Russia it will not bend to “blackmail” over its support for Kyiv after the Kremlin cut off gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland. Russia’s defence ministry, meanwhile, said its forces had …

Europe struggles for clarity on Russian roubles-for-gas demand
2 years, 7 months ago

Europe struggles for clarity on Russian roubles-for-gas demand

Al Jazeera  

European Union countries are scrambling to make sense of Russia’s decision to cut gas flows to Poland and Bulgaria, and eager to maintain their own supplies from Russia while steering clear of violating trade sanctions imposed against Moscow. On Tuesday, Russia’s energy giant Gazprom announced it would be halting gas supplies to both countries after not receiving payment in Russian …

'Blackmail': Bulgaria Slams Russia For Stopping Gas
2 years, 7 months ago

'Blackmail': Bulgaria Slams Russia For Stopping Gas

News 18  

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Kiril Petkov on Wednesday described as “blackmail” Russia’s decision to halt gas supplies to the EU member. The move on the part of Russian energy giant Gazprom “is a gross violation of the contract and blackmail… We won’t give in to such racketeering,” Petkov said, calling it “unacceptable”. “The ministry of energy has a clear plan for …

Serbia opens pipeline for Russian gas, ignores US opposition
3 years, 11 months ago

Serbia opens pipeline for Russian gas, ignores US opposition

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Defying U.S. calls to reduce …

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