The Bulgarian government will abolish the transit tax on Russian gas that passes through this country to supply Serbia and Hungary, the Serbian Mining and Energy Ministry confirmed for the Serbian state TV (RTS).

The tax was imposed in mid-October, and Serbia and Hungary, supplied with gas via the gas pipeline in Bulgaria, condemned the move, fearing that consumers would have to pay the additional costs.

Mining and Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic told RTS that the introduction of such taxes is against European rules and that she is glad it has been dropped.

She said Serbia had sent an official query to the Energy Community, which it is a member of. “We have solved a potential problem and our citizens will not be paying gas at higher prices,” said the Minister.