Russian state-owned gas monopoly Gazprom has made a new attempt to acquire a stake in the Bulgarian gas distribution network, Dnevnik daily reported on February 11.

The Russian energy giant suggested integrating the existing network to the planned South Stream gas pipeline, rather than building the infrastructure from scratch, the daily quoted Economy Minister Petar Dimitrov as saying.

Dimitrov, who presented Bulgaria's energy sector developement strategy to 2030, said that Bulgaria was not ready to accept Gazprom's proposal. "There is a suggestion that part of the deliveries to some of our neighbours pass through the existing network and that [the network] become part of the South Stream, but there is no way this is going to happen," Dimitrov was quoted as saying.

Linking the existing gas distribution infrastructure to the South Stream would mean that Bulgaria would not see increased quantities of gas transiting through the country, but that is one of the main reasons Bulgaria has been so keen on participating in the project.

South Stream, a joint venture between Gazprom and Italy's Eni, is meant to deliver gas from Russia to Italy through South-Eastern Europe. Russia has already secured agreements with Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary for the transit of South Stream.

The pipeline was due to begin operations in 2013, but a report in Russian daily Vedomosti in October 2008 said that the project would be delayed by at least two years.

Despite denials from Gazprom officials and Bulgarian authorities, the project has not moved forward over the past year. Earlier this month, Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov was expected to discuss the future route of the pipeline during his visit to Moscow, but the issue was not raised, Dimitrov said, as quoted by Dnevnik.

Instead, Gazprom officials told Purvanov that the costs of the project would now reach $25 billion. Original estimates put the figure at $10 billion for the underwater stretch in the Black Sea and another $10 billion for the land part.