Bulgaria to file claims from gas dispute

SOFIA, Bulgaria, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- The end of the European gas crisis means state-owned gas firm Bulgargaz can file compensation claims, but also speaks of the need for diversity, officials say.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev told lawmakers at an extraordinary session Tuesday that officials will calculate losses to Bulgargaz stemming from the European gas crisis and file compensation claims accordingly, Bulgaria's Standart newspaper reported.

Ukraine blamed Russia for not filling supply lines to Europe after agreements concluded to settle a gas dispute between the two countries.

A similar row between Ukraine and Russia in 2006 left Europe without gas for three days. Stanishev said the current gas crisis highlighted the need to expand the oil and gas pipeline infrastructure in the region to avert future crises.

"We'll keep working for the realization of the Nabucco project," Stanishev added.

The Western-backed Nabucco project envisions routes from Central Asia to European customers from Turkey to Austria, through Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.

The premier said his country would court potential suppliers to Nabucco during a Nabucco conference scheduled at the end of January in Budapest.