Bulgaria would refrain from exporting electricity to Turkey, as its electricity production would go down significantly in the beginning of 2007, Economy and Energy Minister Roumen Ovcharov said.

On November 3 Ovcharov met his Turkish counterpart Hilmi Guler, Darik Radio reported.

The two ministers discussed chances for Bulgaria's inclusion in a natural gas pipeline project from Azerbaijan to Turkey and from there to Greece and Italy.

Gas provision from Azerbaijan would begin by the end of the year, Guler said.

Joint technical analysis was expected and experts will say if Bulgaria could join in the project, Darik reported.

Earlier this week Ovcharov warned in a letter to the European energy commissioner that electricity export from Bulgaria to Balkan countries was going to decrease after the closure of two Kozlodui nuclear power plant reactors in the end of 2006.

The closure was going to affect energy balance on the Balkans, Ovcharov said.