By Spiros Sideris | Republished by Bosphorus News
The 15-month suspension of parts of the Bulgargaz–BOTAŞ gas agreement does not close one of Bulgaria's most contested post-2022 energy files. It opens a new phase in which Sofia is trying to limit the financial burden of a long-term contract while Türkiye seeks to protect the credibility of its wider ambition to become a regional gas hub for Southeast Europe.
The agreement, signed on January 3, 2023, gave Bulgaria's state gas supplier Bulgargaz access to Türkiye's liquefied natural gas terminals and transmission network for 13 years. At the time, Bulgaria was urgently searching for alternative supply routes after the interruption of Russian gas deliveries.
What was initially presented as a crisis-response mechanism has since become a political, economic and institutional dispute in Bulgaria. The main criticism concerns the payment model, which included high fixed charges for reserved capacity regardless of actual use. Bulgarian officials have argued that this placed a heavy burden on Bulgargaz and raised questions over the commercial sustainability of the original deal.
Under the temporary suspension, Bulgaria is expected to pay only for the transport capacity it actually uses while the two sides reassess the commercial terms of the agreement.
The renegotiation gives Sofia room to regain fiscal and commercial control without abandoning access to alternative LNG infrastructure. The debate is no longer only about whether Bulgaria needs diversified gas routes, but whether the terms agreed in 2023 still reflect today's market conditions, demand levels and Bulgargaz's commercial capacity.
Türkiye's stake is larger than a single bilateral contract. The deal forms part of a long-term strategy to move from transit country to regional center for gas aggregation, regasification, trading and distribution toward European markets.
Bulgaria matters in that strategy beyond the size of its domestic market. As Türkiye's first land connection to the European Union gas market and a key node in Southeast Europe's energy corridors, Bulgaria is a test case for the Turkish model. If the cooperation proves commercially viable, competitive and compatible with European regulation, it will strengthen Türkiye's regional energy-hub claim. If it is seen as financially dysfunctional or institutionally problematic, it could complicate similar arrangements with other European markets.
The European dimension remains central. The BOTAŞ–Bulgargaz agreement has raised questions over competition rules, third-party access to energy infrastructure and the possibility of Russian-origin gas indirectly entering the European market through Türkiye. The contract concerns access to infrastructure rather than the purchase of gas from a specified origin, but in a market where flows can be blended, the debate extends to traceability, regulatory compliance and the European Union's strategic energy autonomy.
The case also reflects a wider post-2022 shift. Under the pressure of the energy crisis, several European countries prioritized rapid access to alternative corridors, including through long-term contracts signed under conditions of high uncertainty. As the gas market stabilizes, the discussion is moving from immediate supply security to economic viability, flexibility and transparency.
Bulgaria must reduce the financial burden on Bulgargaz, preserve its credibility as a contractual partner and maintain access to critical infrastructure. Türkiye must protect the credibility of BOTAŞ and keep alive the ambition of becoming a major energy hub between Asia and Europe.
The 15-month period is not a final settlement. It is a transitional phase of negotiation, technical adjustment and political reassessment. Its outcome will shape not only Bulgaria–Türkiye energy cooperation, but also the credibility of a wider regional model built around Türkiye's role as a gas gateway to Southeast Europe.
Partner note: This article is republished by Bosphorus News with full credit to the Independent Balkan News Agency.
Read the original IBNA article: https://www.ibnaeu.com/2026/07/07/bulgaria-botas-gas-agreement-energy-hub/