SOFIA, February 04. /ITAR-TASS/. Russian gas piped under the Black Sea to Bulgaria promises uninterrupted supply, "security and confidence", Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev said in an exclusive interview with Itar-Tass on Tuesday.

Consensus existed in his country on South Stream project plans to pipe gas ashore for onward transit to Greece, Italy and Austria, the leader said.

“It is important for us considering also that we have already had some unexpected problems with gas supplies," Plevneliev said. "It happened in 2009 following the Russian-Ukrainian dispute, which led to a cut-off of gas supplies to Bulgaria.

“Thanks to South Stream, we will manage to diversify routes of gas supply and live in security and confidence,” he added, noting that the new route promised to make Sofia, the capital, a European energy hub.

“As president of Bulgaria, I support South Stream and hope it will be implemented in accordance with market laws and synchronized with European requirements, considering that Bulgaria is a proud member of the European Union,” the leader added.

The government had already declared South Stream a project of strategic significance, he said.