Gas-dependent Bulgarian companies have run up losses of an estimated 50 million dollars in the week since Russia terminated gas deliveries, media reports said Monday.
Bulgaria is dependent on Russian gas piped in via Ukraine for all but a fragment of its needs. Moscow last week closed the pipeline at the border, accusing Kiev of stealing gas meant for Europe, reported dpa.
The row triggered an energy crisis, forcing drastic saving measures in countries like Bulgaria and Serbia, neither of which have massive reserves.
Only a handful of businesses were allowed to carry on using gas, while the majority was forced to shut down.
A spell of freezing weather, with temperatures falling as low as minus 19 degrees celsius, aggravated the crisis. Some schools remained closed on Monday because of the lack of heating.
Amid a weakened remote heating system, Bulgarians last week cleared stocks of electric heating appliances and tested the stability of the national power grid.
