BRUSSELS Amid icy weather, countries across east and south east Europe have suffered from acute gas shortages as a result of Ukraine’s dispute with Russia. In Bulgaria, which relies exclusively on Russian gas, households have been forced to survive in sub-zero temperatures without heating.
South east Europe suffers
January, 2009
A man chops firewood in the suburbs of Sofia. Bulgaria, which is 100 per cent dependent on Russian gas, instructed industrial gas users to switch to alternative fuels and urged households to use other forms of heating.
January, 2009
A Bulgarian man holds a poster which reads "You are aggressors" during a protest in front of Ukraine's embassy in the Bulgarian capital Sofia.
January, 2009
New born babies sleep next to an electric heater in a Sofia maternity hospital.
January, 2009
A man warms himself near a stove in a bar in the town of Belovo, Bulgaria
January, 2009
A nun and a visitor warm themselves by a wood-burning stove in a monastery near the Bulgarian capital Sofia.
January, 2009
Jordanka Dimitrichkova, an 86 year old Bulgarian who lives alone a in a suburb of Sofia, tries to stay warm near a wood-burning stove
January, 2009
Shoppers examine heating appliances displayed at an electronics store in Sofia.
January, 2009
People walk along the snow covered path in the Bulgarian capital Sofia. The gas shortages were exacerbated by the freezing winter weather. Some Bulgarians blamed the Socialist-led government for allowing the country to become too dependent on Russian energy.
January, 2009
Monkeys shiver in the cold at Sofia Zoo. Bulgaria's main zoo installed oil heaters for elephants, rhinos and hippos as the Russian gas cut hit its central heating system. Monkeys, hyenas, antelopes, parrots and reptiles were provided with convector heaters to keep warm.
January, 2009
Workers cut wood to burn in Sarajevo's suburbs. Demand for alternative ways of heating has soared after delivery of Russian gas to Bosnia was halted. Bosnia-Herzegovina, which is almost totally dependent on Russian gas, had no reserves even for household heating.
