Greece, Turkey helps secure gas supplies

SOFIA, Bulgaria, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Greece and Turkey pledged their support to help shore up Bulgarian gas supplies diminished by the ongoing gas crisis between Ukraine and Russia, officials said.

Bulgarian Economic Ministry Petar Dimitrov said Greece agreed to transit around 70 million cubic feet of gas per day to his country, Bulgarian newspaper Standart reported Friday.

Greece serves as an energy hub on the Blue Stream pipeline route from Turkey. The 754-mile Blue Stream travels from Russia through the Black Sea.

Despite the gas assurances, the 70 million cubic feet is just a portion of the 424 million cubic feet consumed by Bulgarians each day.

Dimitrov said Bulgaria was handling the European gas crisis well with the help of transit countries, but noted the financial terms of the Greek deal were still in the negotiation stage.

Ukrainian and Russian officials gave their assurances to Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev that gas deliveries would resume. The Bulgarian premier, however, reacted with consternation, saying it was uncertain which country was responsible for the gas disruptions.