Bulgaria energy minister calls Gazprom talks ‘inevitable’

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria’s interim government has signaled its readiness to negotiate with Russian energy company Gazprom on the resumption of natural gas deliveries. Caretaker energy minister Rosen Hristov didn’t set a date for talks with the firm. But he said that the gas demands of the industry and heating companies were forcing the government to begin talks with Gazprom to renew supplies which he called “inevitable.” Bulgaria’s contract with Gazprom expires at the end of 2022. But Russia halted deliveries in late April after the previous pro-Western government in Sofia refused Gazprom’s demand to pay for it in rubles.