Revived plans to transit Russian gas through Bulgaria into Europe and build a nuclear plant at Belene.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is interested in extending the TurkStream natural gas pipeline into the EU and is counting on the European Commission and member states to show the same flexibility already seen in the case of Nord Stream. Although the EU-sponsored Southern Gas Corridor is boosting Gazprom’s competitors, Russia could gain advantage by accessing the new transit infrastructure.
Ties to Russia will once again become a hot issue in Bulgarian domestic politics.
New transit routes would bring down gas prices and boost consumption by industry and households across South-eastern Europe.
High costs and political risk will limit the development of nuclear energy in Bulgaria and the region.
