Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov said that the January 2009 gas crisis underlined the issue of European Union dependency on Russian gas supplies and Bulgaria could be a "mediator state’ on the issue.

In an interview with Germany’s Suedeutsche Zeitung, Purvanov said that Bulgaria had good relations with Russia,

He said that there would be serious competition among suppliers of gas from Central Asia. Bulgaria could be a "bridge" between suppliers in Central Asia and recipients in Europe.

It had been clear before the January crisis that the issue was important, said Purvanov, who on April 24 and 25 is hosting a summit in Sofia on Europe and energy diversity.

Asked whether Bulgaria had an energy deficit, Purvanov said that all in Europe were dependent on suppliers and transit routes and for several years Bulgaria had attempted to diversify in both these respects. Examples were the South Stream and Nabucco projects, he said.