After the cessation of supplies from “Gazprom“ in April 2022, Bulgaria entered a period that was then predicted as the beginning of energy chaos. Instead, the country managed to secure alternative sources of gas, stabilize supplies and avoid the collapse of the industry. European solidarity and American support played a key role in the adaptation of the energy system, and the Bulgarian sector proved that it can function without dependence on a single supplier.
Former Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov defined the day of the gas shutdown as the moment when “Bulgaria should have become a pirate state, but refused“. In the program “Revision” on Nova TV he said that the country has maintained its consistency, even when this meant giving up political pressure.
Nikolov is critical of the future of the so-called Balkan Stream, which in his opinion is “purely Russian Stream“, and pointed out that after 2027 Europe will close this page in order to end energy dependence. At the same time, he emphasized a serious problem: the European refusal to develop nuclear energy, which in his opinion has turned the continent into a “backward place“ compared to the USA and China.
The expert also commented on the budget plan for 2026. According to him, it was presented at the last minute and without a clearly formulated strategy, therefore it includes postponed changes in social security, an increase in the minimum wage and unclear parameters for reducing costs. “The lack of reforms and management vision raises uncertainty, as the production decline in recent years remains a worrying signal for the economy”. Nikolov also claims.