MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Bulgaria’s relations with Russia look set to strengthen after Bulgarian President-elect Rumen Radev takes office in January, the country's ambassador to Moscow, Boyko Kotzev, told Sputnik on Wednesday.
"There’s no doubt that under the new president Bulgaria will be conducting a consistent policy of developing relations with Russia based on mutually beneficial and equal cooperation," Kotzev said.
The diplomat stressed that Bulgaria would not give up commitments it had made to partners and allies. The Balkan nation is a member of both the European Union and NATO.
Boyko Kotzev also stated that Bulgaria has shared with Russia details on a gas hub project called Balkan and is ready for talks on possible ways of cooperation.
"We believe that the Balkan hub is an interesting and economically feasible project. We have shown this project to the Russian side and are ready to discuss it if Russia is willing or capable of taking part in it," Boyko Kotzev said.
The diplomat assured Sputnik that Bulgaria was maintaining expert-level contacts with Russia’s energy giant Gazprom and was ready to give the company legal guarantees or any further details on the project.
