Bulgaria Considers Israel to Be Potential Gas Source - Deputy PM

Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev has told an Israeli economic official that Sofia deems the Middle Eastern country a potential source of gas supplies.

Israel "in particular" is viewed as a contry that could deliver gas to Bulgaria and the entire Southeastern European region, the government's press office quotes Donchev, who is in charge of economic development, as sayiing after meeting Prof Avi Simhon, the head of Israel's National Economic Council, on Thursday.

Donchev added the two countries have an "untapped potential" to cooperate in energy that, if used, could also help intensify relations of Israel with the Balkan and the Mediterranean region.

Measures to encourage small and medium enterprises and to provide incentives to hi-tech production and startups (both sectors being highly developed in Israel) were also discussed during Donchev's meeting.

Donchev is part of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's delegation during his two-day visit to Israel. Prof Simhon was appointed to the top economic advisory body with PM Benjamin Netanyahu in December of last year.