Bulgaria says talks needed to resume Russian gas supplies

Bulgaria will have to hold talks with Russia's Gazprom to resume gas deliveries that were halted in April, the interim Bulgarian energy minister said on Monday, after the government promised to secure adequate supplies for winter. Rossen Hristov did not say when any talks with the Russian company would take place, although he said Sofia would hold talks with Azerbaijan this week to boost Azeri supplies and would discuss deliveries with Turkish gas traders.

"Given the demands of business and the trade unions, in reality talks with Gazprom to renew supplies are inevitable," the minister said.