Bulgaria needed to
diversify its fuel energy sources and guarantee its people a stable and
corruption-free environment, US ambassador James Warlick was quoted as saying by
Bulgarian-language Dnevnik daily on February 25 2010.
"In the past the US
also made the mistake of becoming too dependent on Middle East oil, but we are
now fixing that. You (Bulgaria) is too dependent on Russian natural gas and
should think more about finding alternative fuel sources and developing
renewable energy sources (RES)," Warlick said.
The Bulgarian Government
should be applauded for its efforts in developing a new energy strategy, which
was to be completed by the end of 2010, he said.
"We need legislation
that encourages RES investments," Warlick said, and recommended the introduction
of fixed prices for purchasing renewable energy, expansion of the grid network
and investments in education in these specialist fields.
According to
him, bio-technologies, IT and RES were the two sectors of mutual interest of
Bulgaria and the US where investments should concentrate. He named Bulgarian
yoghurt and white cheese as one of Bulgaria's successes in
bio-technologies.
Energy security could be achieved not just by sources'
diversification but also through a policy of transparency that brought down
corruption and eliminated certain interests which otherwise would continue to
dominate Bulgaria's energy sector, Warlick said.
He praised Bulgaria's
efforts in participating in the Nabucco natural gas pipeline project as well as
in building pipeline connections with Greece, Turkey and Romania.
On
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov's efforts to cut crime, Warlick said:
"Restoring the country depends on the supremacy of the law but it also has to do
with creating an environment in which corruption has been overcome and people
enjoy security".
The Bulgarian Government's economic policy was also
praised by Warlick. Bulgaria ended 2009 with the lowest rate of budget deficit
of all EU countries and should Bulgaria managed to end 2010 with a balanced
Budget, it would have a chance in getting into the Euro zone as it would have
covered all the criteria, he said.