16.06.2024
The future of nuclear power counts on our shared responsibility and determination. We must disallow the use of nuclear technology for blackmail and aggression. We must do our utmost to safeguard the nuclear safety and security of Ukraine, Europe and the world. The appeal was made by Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev at the first Summit on Peace in Ukraine that is held in Bürgenstock, Switzerland. Mr. Glavchev spoke at the thematic session on ensuring the nuclear safety and security of Ukraine.
Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev expressed Bulgaria’s support for the nuclear safety goals as set out in the Peace Formula of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and welcomed the extremely valuable efforts made by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Prime Minister recalled that the nuclear safety and security situation is serious and that it is Russia that is solely responsible for it. The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, which has been occupied by Russia for over two years now, is central to our concerns as the IAEA’s Seven Indispensable Pillars to ensure nuclear safety and security and Five Concrete Principles to defend these have been violated, Mr. Glavchev said. In his words, to turn Europe’s largest nuclear power plant into a military base is nothing more than a manifestation of gross irresponsibility. Bulgaria’s Prime Minister noted that Russia’s actions were not only putting the global community at risk, but were seriously undermining confidence in the future development of nuclear power. We cannot agree with either of these two, Mr. Glavchev said firmly.
Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev welcomed the key priorities for ensuring coordination of the international efforts outlined in the discussion paper. The immediate priorities are: urgent withdrawal of all unauthorized personnel from the Zaporizhzhya NPP; unrestricted access to the facilities for competent IAEA and Ukrainian officials; staffing with a sufficient number of experts with relevant experience to the plant as the current number of the staff members is one third of what is normally required. Bulgaria’s Prime Minister highlighted, inter alia, the special role of the countries that are currently developing or considering an option to develop their own nuclear programs with the support of the Russian Rosatom. “We urge them to use their own levers of influence to ensure compliance with the established international nuclear safety and security standards which is ultimately in everyone’s interest,” the Prime Minister said.
Further, Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev emphasized Bulgaria’s significant progress in the diversification of its nuclear fuel supplies by eliminating its dependence on the previous sole Russian supplier and developing promising cooperation with global industry leaders such Westinghouse and Framatome.
