Bulgargaz has suggested that the State Energy and Water Regulation Commission (SEWRC) should raise the price of natural gas to 482.18 leva per cubic hectometre in the second quarter of 2008, the company said.

The proposed increase amounts to 117.08 leva per cu hectometre (32.7%), compared to the natural gas price at present and comes as a result of the lower-than-proposed by Bulgargaz price of the gas set by the SEWRC for the first quarter of the year, BTA reports.

The increase in the prices of the alternatives to the natural gas on the international markets, which are directly related to the price of crude oil (105 US dollars per barrel), was also taken into consideration.