Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov commented for the press here Sunday that he has fine dialogue with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and that Putin understands him better than the opposition in Bulgaria does. "I think we will make sure the two countries have mutually beneficial cooperation, one that is not to the detriment of either side," Borissov said.
The Bulgarian government leader was talking to reporters after playing in a fund-raising football match.
ITAR-TASS reported Friday that Borissov and Putin spoke on the phone earlier the same day and agreed that Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov is coming to Sofia on July 6 for talks on the South Stream gas pipeline project and on the construction of the Belene nuclear power plant.
The two prime ministers also reportedly discussed the current shape of trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Bulgaria, including contemplated large energy projects such as South Stream and Belene.
Borissov noted Sunday that there is no dispute over Belene with Russia and that the Russian government leader agrees that the projects needs financial and economic restructuring, and that European investors should join in.
As for South Stream, there were two reasons of concern: what to do with the existing pipes and where to have the pipe entering Bulgaria, Borissov said.
He expects these questions to be resolved on Tuesday.
In respect of another major energy infrastructure project, the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, Borissov recalled that international experts are expected to prepare an environmental impact assessment.
Of the price of natural gas, the Prime Minister said that "unfortunately, the documents were not renegotiated the way they should have been" and added that they "will try to lower it".
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