Russia gas supply to S.E.Europe back to normal -Bulgaria

SOFIA Feb 4 (Reuters) - Russia's supplies of natural gas to Bulgaria and neighbouring Greece, Turkey and Macedonia are back to normal, Bulgaria's economy and energy ministry said on Saturday.

Grid operator Bulgartransgaz had said on Friday that supplies for Bulgaria and the amounts of Russian gas transited to its neighbours dropped more than 30 percent as freezing temperatures pushed up demand for heating in Russia and across Europe.

"Supplies for Bulgaria as well as the amounts transited to Turkey, Greece and Macedonia are normalised," the ministry said in a statement.

"The inlet pressure of the national transmission system has been restored to normal level this morning. The country is receiving gas according to requested quantities."

Bulgaria is almost fully dependent on gas supplies from Russia's Gazprom. It was one of the hardest-hit countries in the winter of 2009 when a price dispute between Russia and Ukraine halted gas supplies to Europe for about two weeks.

The Balkan country consumes about 2.8 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas a year. Gazprom transports gas through Bulgaria, including 14 bcm a year to Turkey, 3 bcm to Greece and 0.8 bcm to Macedonia. (Reporting by Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Hugh Lawson)