Sofia denied any knowledge of being excluded from the project for construction of the South Stream gas pipeline.

Following a story in Russia's "Kommersant" paper on October 20 alleging that an agreement between Russia and Turkey effectively leaves Bulgaria out of the project, the Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) talked to Gazprom and its press office firmly denied the allegations, BEH said in a press release.

BEH goes on to say that Gazprom representatives called BEH Tuesday morning to discuss the timing of working meetings for South Stream due next week.

South Stream is expected to carry up to 63 billion cu m of Russian natural gas per year across the Black Sea to Bulgaria and further to Italy and Austria. It is seen as rival to the EU-supported planned Nabucco pipeline. The completion date is set in 2015.

Source: BTA