Bulgarian PM thanks Russia for not harboring grudge over canceled South Stream project
MOSCOW. May 30 (Interfax) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has thanked Russia for "not holding grudge" against his country for abandoning the South Stream project, and called it worthy behavior of an "older" partner.
"I am very grateful that there is no grudge against us on this matter. But the older ones, they are always bigger and always forgive," Borisov said.
For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced doubt about the "older" one having advantages in this situation. "I am very confused as to who is older, who is younger, meaning that the older one is always being pushed to pay," Putin said of Gazrpom's 800 million euro losses as the result of the project's cancellation.
"It's regrettable. I can see that the Bulgarian side regrets the disruption of the South Stream project because - no one doubts this - its implementation would have greatly benefited Bulgaria. But we will try to get in from the other side, in this particular instance through Turkey," Putin said at a press conference after talks with Borisov, referring to the possibility of extending the Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline through Bulgaria.