President Purvanov hits back at US ambassador over transparency in energy projects
Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov has reacted to United States ambassador James Warlick's call for transparency about Bulgaria's natural gas supply dealings with Russia by saying that there is complete transparency - and "advising" ambassadors in Sofia not to give so much advice about Bulgaria's domestic and regional policy issues. At the same time, Purvanov was reported by mass-circulation daily 24 Chassa to have said that he supported Prime Minister Boyko Borissov's call for checks into natural gas deals. The profits being made by intermediaries should be disclosed publicly to expose the profits they were making at the expense of Bulgarian consumers, 24 Chassa reported Purvanov as saying. Purvanov said that for years he had called for intermediaries to be removed from the process, to reduce the consumer price of gas. On July 7 2010, Bulgarian National Radio reported Warlick as requesting an urgent meeting with Economy, Energy and Tourism Minister Traycho Traykov for details about the Bulgaria - Russia natural gas dealings, and called on Borissov to stick to his undertaking for Bulgaria to develop energy diversity.