SOFIA, January 28 /TASS/. The 15th session of the Inter-Governmental Russian-Bulgarian Commission for Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation that ended in Sofia on Thursday had discussed the creation of the Balkan gas distribution centre in the Bulgarian territory. Bulgarian Minister of Economy Bozhidar Lukarski and Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova represented the Bulgarian side. The Russian side was represented by First Deputy Justice Minister Sergey Gerasimov.
"Energy plays the leading role in Bulgarian-Russian relations," Petkova said after the meeting.
"For example, we exert lots of effort to create the Balkan gas distribution centre, which will guarantee the safety of gas deliveries and diversify the gas supply routes. We regard the Russian partners as possible participants in the project and rely on the Russian gas," Petkova said.
"Prospects of Russia’s participation in this project depends on how prepared it is for a detailed discussion and the entire cycle of obtaining approvals, including at the European Commission," Gerasimov said in turn.
"We are ready to participate in a project, which will pass the point of no return and which it will be impossible to stop under any circumstances," he stressed.
"We want to develop active cooperation in agriculture and the construction industry," Bozhidar Lukarski said.
"There are no secondary areas of interaction between Russia and Bulgaria especially with account taken of the history of our ties," Gerasimov said. "Tourism is one of the areas, which can develop quickly. On the whole, the Russian-Bulgarian cooperation can be more voluminous and effective," he added.
The next 16th session of the Russian-Bulgarian inter-governmental commission will take place in Russia in 2017.