European Commissioner for Energy

Bulgaria has received permission from the European Commission for the supplies of Russian gas to the Balkan gas distribution center, the Ministry of Interior announced, quoted by BNR.

European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete is in Athens where he is holding negotiations with the Greek government on key energy projects.

The interconnector Greece - Bulgaria is among these projects.

Bulgaria will be represented at a deputy ministerial level at the World Energy Congress, a key global event, on Monday.

Deputy Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov will attend the 23th edition of the congress that is being held in Istanbul, his institution has said.

Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova, however, is also added to the list of speakers.

The EU will unveil Feb. 9 plans to give it power to examine energy contracts that European states sign with countries outside the bloc, amid concerns about Europe's dependence on Russian gas.

Three-way talks involving the EU, Russia and Ukraine have ended with an agreement on the terms of gas supplies between October this year and March 2016, the EU Commission has said.

Bulgaria is among those poised to score the biggest gain from the European Energy Union in terms of energy security, improved connectedness with neighbor countries, and energy diversification, according to Maros Sefcovic, Vice President of the European Commission, in charge of Energy Union.

The Bulgarian government will establish an energy security council, which will coordinate the national policy in the energy sector and define the Bulgarian priorities within the framework of the European Energy Union.

The decision was taken at the regular meeting of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, the government's press service informs.

EU energy chief Maros Sefcovic will start a tour of member states this week to reiterate calls for a concerted effort by EU member states to address global energy and climate challenges.

He will also present an analysis by the European Commission of each country's energy policy and what needs to be done to fine-tune that policy to the objectives of the Energy Union.

A high-level energy dialogue and strategic energy cooperation process has been launched between Turkey and the European Union, both sides announced in a joint statement late on March 17.

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Diplomacy Robin L. Dunnigan visited Greece this week to speak at the Athens Energy Forum and to meet with officials at the Ministry of Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy, as well as public and private energy companies in Greece.