10.07.2017
The prospects for development of the cooperation in the energy field were discussed during the meeting of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov with the Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak. The two held talks in the margins of the 22-nd World Petroleum Congress that took place in Istanbul.
Prime Minister Borissov noted that the progress achieved in the relations between Bulgaria and Russia in the energy field is due to the consistent work in this direction. According to him, after last year with common efforts the issue with the arbitration decision on the Nuclear Power Plant “Belene” was solved, the two countries can continue to discuss the possibilities for fruitful cooperation.
As a positive step, the Prime Minister pointed out the Roadmap, which was signed in the beginning of June this year by the Bulgarian Minister of Energy Temenuzhka Petkova and the President of the Management Board of “Gazprom” Alexey Miller. According to the roadmap the countries will look at the possibility for expanding the gas transport infrastructure on the territory of Bulgaria thereby taking into account EU rules.
Prime Minister Borissov paid special attention to the investments made in the gas transport system in Bulgaria. He highlighted the concept for building the European gas hub on the territory of Bulgaria, for whose pre-project probing the EU provided funding of 920 thousand euro. Borissov underlined that our country works seriously in the interest of energy security in the region of Central and Eastern Europe.
The Bulgarian Prime Minister expressed confidence in the successful finalization of the activities on the prolonging of the work of the 5th and 6th Block of the “Kozloduy” Nuclear Power Plant. In respect to the “Belene” Nuclear Power Plant he pointed out that a strategic private investor is sought.
Prime Minister Boyko Borissov expects the fruitful dialogue on issues of common interest to continue also at the meeting of the Intergovernmental Bulgarian-Russian Committee on Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation. The Committee is foreseen to meet in the end of the current year.
