Ukraine Gas Stoppage Threatens Bulgaria, Bosnia

Pavel Zavalny, who heads the organisation, told a EU-Russia gas forum in Brussels this week that Bosnia and Bulgaria will face energy difficulties if Russia stops the flow of gas to Ukraine, citing unpaid bills.

Bulgaria and Bosnia-Herzegovina will not be able to rely on gas depots in Europe, as neither country has gas connections with Europe or alternatives supply routes to those runing via Ukraine. Zavalny said that European stores were only half-full anyway.

However, the Nord Stream supply could still be used to supply gas to Europe in case of disruption through Ukraine, he added. The North European Gas Pipeline runs from Russia to Germany though the Baltic Sea.

Apart from heading the Russian Gas Society, Pavel Zavalny is a lawmaker from the ruling United Russia.

Russia's state energy giant Gazprom has said it may halt natural gas shipments to Ukraine on 3 June unless the country pays its bills in advance.