Parliament instructs Energy Minister to start negotiations with Ukraine for sale of equipment for Belene NPP

Parliament instructed the Minister of Energy to conduct negotiations with the Minister of Energy of Ukraine or his representative with a view to selling the equipment intended for the Belene NPP project. The decision was adopted by 155 votes to 57.

MPs from GERB-UDF, Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, and There Is Such a People supported the decision. Vazrazhdane and BSP for Bulgaria voted against.

The adopted decision stipulates that the sale price cannot be lower than that which Bulgaria paid for the equipment, nearly BGN 1.2 billion. The negotiations will be held within 60 days the decision. The Minister of Energy should inform the National Assembly about the actions taken and the specific results of the negotiations.

Thursday's decision by the National Assembly negates a previous decision from June 7, 2018 to resume searching for opportunities to build the Belene NPP together with a strategic investor, on a market basis and without providing a state guarantee, through separation of the assets and liabilities for the Belene NPP project in a separate project company.