The settlement of the obligations between "Bulgargaz" and "Botash", which are worth about 360 million euros, will not burden the budget and Bulgarian citizens, said Iva Petrova, Minister of Energy in the studio of "The Day Begins with Georgi Lyubenov". The mechanism must be developed in the next 15 months, before which the contract was frozen:
Iva Petrova, Minister of Energy: "There is an agreement to find an effective mechanism for settling these obligations between the two companies, which will not burden the budget, will not burden Bulgarian citizens, and the specific parameters of this mechanism will be written down within the framework of the renegotiation."
According to Petrova, the agreement also states that within 15 months, work will be done to find a solution that will allow the full potential of the contract to be truly used, to enter into an effective and mutually beneficial partnership, which provides prospects in terms of guaranteeing the security of supplies of the two companies throughout the region of Eastern, Southeastern and Central Europe.
During the signing of the protocol, neither the Bulgarian nor the Turkish side set additional conditions - political or economic, added the Minister of Energy. During the rescheduling, no interest will be charged on the accumulated liabilities.
The contract had potential, but it was not used, more for political reasons and sabotage of the contract than a lack of desire on the part of the companies, Iva Petrova was categorical. She recalled that the main reason for signing it in 2022 was the security of supplies and Turkey has proven itself as a reliable partner in this regard.
Regarding the proposal for Bulgaria and Ukraine to jointly build the Belene NPP, instead of selling the equipment located on the site, Iva Petrova explained:
Iva Petrova, Minister of Energy: "First of all, an undisputed priority is ensuring the safe operation of existing capacities and, on the other hand, we have committed to projects for adding new capacities to the system. The project for units 7-8 of the Kozloduy NPP is a strategic project that is already underway. Of course, a solution must also be found for the equipment of the Belene NPP. One of the options is the construction of a nuclear power plant jointly with Ukraine, with the availability of European financing, which can provide a perspective for using this equipment, which we already have. The issue that concerns the Ministry of Energy and which we have undertaken as a commitment is actually that all these options should be integrated into a new model of the energy system, so that we can evaluate them from the perspective of the energy sector itself, and the commitment that we have is to propose such a project of an integrated vision by the end of the year, including with regard to all options for nuclear power. The Minister has received assurances from the operator who maintains the equipment that this is being done in accordance with the highest standards. Ukraine's participation may also be as a recipient of part of this electricity, Iva Petrov also said.
An audit of the Kozloduy NPP has not yet been assigned. So far, audits have been conducted at the New Power Plant, Maritsa-Iztok Mines and BEH, and worrying data is already emerging. Two reports have already been submitted to the Bulgarian Energy and Mineral Resources Agency for additional inspections, as well as one to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Three more are waiting to be submitted.
The Minister of Energy will visit Stara Zagora tomorrow at the invitation of the regional governor and will meet with the mayors of the region, with deputies and with the new management of the Mines and the TPP.