Bulgaria begins negotiations to end the contract with Turkey for the provision of electricity, instead opting for the establishment of an infrastructure in Bulgaria, as signed by the “Kostov” cabinet in 1998. This was announced by the vice-prime minister Ivailo Kalfin.

According to the documents, Bulgaria will have to provide it’s southern neighbour, and the Turkish holding “Jeilan” will have to construct the highway “Maritza” and the cascade “Gorna Arda”.

The Council of Ministers wants the Turkish company CCG Insaat Sanayi Yatirim Ve Turzim, successor of “Jeilan”, to withdraw their demand from the National electricity company from the The International Court of Arbitration. They will offer the construction of the dam lake “Tundzha” in exchange.

Four working groups are created by the government to prepare the deal with Turkey. They will be managed by the vice minister Liubomir Kiuchukov. Experts will seek a “package” resolution of the issues. Bulgaria will insist for compensations and decision on the property demands from the refugees from Eastern Thrace; compensations the estates of the Bulgarian Orthodox church in Turkey, including the hospital “Evlogi Georgiev” in Istanbul; the definition of the border along the outflow of the river Rezovska.