Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov has revealed that Hungarian officials warned Sofia of a veto on Bulgaria’s Schengen accession unless the country reverses an increase in the transit fee for Russian gas passing through Bulgarian territory. The remarks were reported by the European outlet Euroactive and later echoed by Bulgarian media channels.
Denkov quoted a low-level Hungarian official message asserting that Bulgaria would face a Schengen veto if the gas toll were not scrapped. The reported exchange places Sofia at a crossroads: continue with a tariff rise that some see as a bargaining chip with the European Union, or concede to the political pressure linked to Bulgaria’s Schengen bid.
Media coverage indicates that a decision on Bulgaria’s Schengen prospects could come soon, and Sofia is weighing the option of repealing the new transit tariff law for Russian gas as part of that equation. The Prime Minister suggested that if the law is repealed, a corresponding veto decision could also be lifted. A Hungarian TV outlet, Pannon RTV, attributed the remarks to Hungary’s foreign minister, Peter Szijjártó.
The Hungarian assessment labeled Bulgaria’s move as a scandalous and hostile step that could disrupt gas transit to several countries, including North Macedonia, Serbia, and Hungary. In the days leading up to this, the Bulgarian parliament had already taken steps to delay the tariff increase tied to the goal of joining Schengen.
Earlier statements from Serbia referenced in the coverage claimed that Bulgaria was attempting to intervene in Russia’s gas deliveries to Europe. The evolving situation underscores how energy transit and regional diplomacy intersect with Bulgaria’s EU integration timeline, as well as the broader concerns about energy security and market access across the region. (EuroActive)