“Bulgaria will insist before the European Commission on reviving the Nabucco project,” Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said following his meeting with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, who is in Sofia on an official visit. The two discussed the energy project, as well as cooperation between the two countries in the field of transport infrastructure, tourism, and culture. Borissov defined Aliyev’s visit as indicative in terms of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
“We want to thwart the Nabucco project, more specifically the stretch that goes through Bulgaria. Our country is an extremely loyal EU member and has implemented all legal requirements of the Third Energy Package unlike many other countries. Therefore, together with President Aliyev, we will present the revival project to the European Commission,” the Prime Minister announced.
President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the importance of the Southern Gas Corridor for Azerbaijan and the country's active involvement in the project. Aliyev stressed that the Southern Gas Corridor was Azerbaijan’s largest project in Europe. The President highlighted the strong political ties between the two countries, which contributed relations with Bulgaria to be at the highest level. “Azerbaijan proposed several initiatives and projects, which received the support of European institutions. I hope that Azerbaijani-Bulgarian relations will develop intensively. I am very happy that Bulgaria participates in this project and is already receiving Azerbaijani gas. I hope that in the future Bulgaria will become a transit country, transporting Azeri gas to other EU countries, “ President Aliyev said and highlighted the enormous sympathy for the Bulgarian people.
“Today we lay the foundations of the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria,” President Aliyev said.
At an official ceremony at the Council of Ministers, the two sides signed an Agreement in the field of electronic communications, information technology and e-Government and a Protocol on expansion of cooperation in the field of tourism.