Bulgarian Parliament extends negotiations with Ukraine on Russian nuclear equipment by six months

With the votes of GERB, We Continue the Change (PP-DB) and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), Parliament decided to extend by 180 days the negotiations between the Bulgarian Energy Minister and his Ukrainian counterpart on the sale to Ukraine of Russian equipment for the Belene nuclear power plant. During this time, MPs expect to update the market assessment prepared last year and to obtain the necessary approvals from Ukraine's state nuclear energy company Energoatom.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), Vazrazhdane, There is Such a People (ITN) and several independent MPs strongly opposed the proposal to provide Ukraine with the equipment originally intended for the Belene nuclear power plant. According to them, this would jeopardise the country's energy security, as one of the steam generators could be used for the Kozloduy NPP.

It was pointed out that the price at which the equipment was being sold was unfavourable to Bulgaria. There were also hints of corruption schemes and a cover-up through such a sale of "some 300 million missing from the Belene NPP project", BNR reporter Maria Fileva reported.