12.03.2020
Prime Minister Boyko Borissov had a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The two discussed the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Prime Minister Borissov noted the measures our country has taken to tackle the coronavirus. "Within days, the Bulgarian industry is reorganizing itself to produce and provide the necessary protective clothing for medical personnel across the country. We are implementing all the measures approved by the world medical community to limit the disease," Prime Minister Borissov told Vladimir Putin. Borissov also raised the question of the possibility for Bulgaria to buy respirators from Russia, which are extremely important for the treatment of patients with coronavirus. In the course of the conversation, it was pointed out that Russian scientists are making serious efforts to develop a vaccine against COVID-19.
The situation in Syria was also discussed during the conversation. Prime Minister Boyko Borissov noted that there is zero illegal migration at the Bulgarian-Turkish border. "We continue with all our will to fight for peace and good neighborliness. I am convinced that only diplomacy can resolve conflicts," Borisov said. He expressed his confidence that reason and dialogue would prevail to end the humanitarian crisis.
Another focus of the conversation was energy. Prime Minister Borissov informed the Russian president on the progress of the construction of the Balkan Stream, which will ensure Bulgaria's key role in transporting natural gas to Europe for decades to come. So far, over 20,000 pipes are in the construction bases, and more than 6,000 have been delivered to the port of Burgas. The total pipelines along the route are over 140 km, of which over 120 km are welded.
"We are interested in continuing the cooperation with Russia in the field of natural gas, in strict compliance with European rules, in order to guarantee the security of gas supplies to Bulgaria and the region," Boyko Borissov said during the conversation. The Prime Minister welcomes the agreement reached between Gazprom Export and Bulgargaz to reduce by 40.3% the price of natural gas supplies to Bulgaria in connection with the decision of the European Commission.
During the telephone conversation, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin congratulated Prime Minister Boyko Borissov on Bulgaria's national holiday - March 3.
