Bulgarian energy crisis

SOFIA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Bulgaria will raise wholesale natural gas prices by 13.89 percent from October 1 to reflect higher prices on international markets, the Balkan country's energy regulator said on Friday.

Russia is carrying out talks with Bulgarian-Russian company Overgas to settle "trade issues" of the past few years, but will continue delivering natural gas to Bulgaria, TASS quotes the Foreign Ministy in Moscow as saying.

"Bulgaria will not be left without natural gas," the statement also reads.

Bulgarian-Russian company Overgas has denied receiving a letter from Russian energy giant Gazprom calling on it to prepared for a halt in supplies from January 1.

A statement on the company's website [BG] reads that the gas supply contract with Gazprom is in force until 2017, and Overgas abides by all of its commitments, with no overdue payment.