Bulgaria lost half a billion leva from the new gas deal signed with Russian gas giant Gazprom in 2006, Martin Dimitrov, member of Parliament for the United Democratic Forces (UtDF) parliamentary group, told journalists on October 1.

Fellow UtDF MP Ivan Sotirov said, as quoted by Focus news agency, that the initial assessment that the contract was unprofitable was confirmed on October 1, when it was made available to Parliament. MPs and reporters had been denied the opportunity to review the deal by the Economy Ministry, but the ministry had later decided to send a copy to Parliament after Kapital weekly newspaper had obtained it and published it.

According to Sotirov, the "drastic increase” of gas prices that went into force on October 1 could have been forecasted back when the contract was signed if the officials that negotiated it had carefully read the document.

Bulgaria's utilities regulator allowed state-owned gas firm Bulgargaz to hike its prices by 23.9 per cent and agreed in principle to hike the price once again in January. Bulgargaz demanded the increase to be able to service its financial commitments to Gazprom

The two UtDF MPs said that they hoped that the agreement would be re-assessed. According to Sotirov, all energy deals have to be reviewed as a package to achieve better conditions for Bulgaria.

National Movement for Stability and Progress deputy chairperson and MP Milev Velchev said that the details of the contract with Gazprom had to become public. According to Velchev, the clauses of the contract were still not very clear.

Gazprom would remain a monopolist on gas supplies for Bulgaria until the Nabucco gas pipeline was built, but even so, private companies had to be given the chance to contract gas directly from Gazprom, Velchev said.