The So Soares City Prosecutor's Office has announced it has launched an investigation into a 2023 gas deal between Turkey's state gas company Botas and bulgargargaz.
Bulgargaz and Botas signed a 13-year deal in 2023, allowing Bulgargaz to use Turkey's LNG warehouses to transport goods, thereby moving through Botas's gas network to Bulgaria.
However, the deal has left Bulgargaz in debt, as the company eventually has to pay for unused capacity, Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov said in May this year. So far, Bulgargaz has paid Botas 600 million lev (359 million USD).
"Currently, the prosecution and investigation steps are being taken to collect and verify the evidence," the Bulgarian Prosecutor's Office said. Bulgarian prosecutors also searched the home of a related individual.
"The subjects of the investigation are the contract between bulgargaz of Bulgaria and Botas of Turkey, details surrounding the signing of the contract and whether it will cause damage to the state," the announcement said.
Former Energy Minister Rosen Hristov, who negotiated and signed the deal, said his home had been searched and investigators took his phone and laptop.
Former Energy Minister Rosen Hristov denied all allegations of wrongdoing, saying the investigation had political motives.
Bulgaria, which is heavily dependent on Russian gas by 2022, is seeking to diversify gas supplies and seek cheaper sources, and the deal with Botas is part of that effort.
Turkey has signed agreements with countries, including Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Serbia, to position itself as a key gas exporter in the region.
In April 2025, Bulgaria and Turkey announced the start of expert discussions to explore options for expanding gas transport capacity at common borders.
Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has called for capacity building of gas pipelines with Greece and Bulgaria to increase gas exports to Southeast Europe.
"We are committed to investing in the pipelines to ensure gas diversification and security of supply for Southeast Europe," Bayraktar said in October 2024.
In November 2024, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar met with then-burugarian Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov to discuss opportunities to improve capacity for electricity and gas connectivity.
