PM Radev proposes that Bulgaria and Ukraine jointly build Belene NPP

Sofia will oppose the European Union's proposed 21st package of sanctions against Russia if Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and one of the heads of Lukoil in Bulgaria, Vagit Alekperov, are not removed from the list, Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced during a parliamentary question-and-answer session. He justified the move with the need to safeguard Bulgaria’s energy interests. Asked about the possibility of sanctions against Russian Patriarch Kirill, Rumen Radev said he was not interested in the individual himself, but noted that Patriarch Kirill was the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Bulgaria will not cancel the agreement with Ukraine signed by the caretaker government of Andrey Gyurov, as international agreements should be respected, Radev said. He also stated that he had proposed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Bulgaria and Ukraine jointly build the Belene nuclear power plant with EU funding, with electricity for Ukraine to be supplied via Romania.

Edited by Ivo Ivanov

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov