GERB Seeks Mandate for Talks on Belene N-plant Project with Potential Investor
Bulgaria's ruling centre-right party GERB requested from parliament to mandate the government to hold talks on Belene nuclear power plant (NNP) project with a potential investor.
Under the terms of the mandate, the government would have to negotiate a deal price at least equal to the costs incurred by the Bulgarian side, as well as "more satisfactory' conditions with Russia's Atomstroyexport, state-run Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported on Thursday.
The potential investor should also provide a 200 million euro ($257.5 million) guarantee, local daily Dnevnik reported.
"The draft programme does not revoke the previous parliamentary decision to halt the Belene project, it just gives [the government] a mandate for negotiations," Dnevnik quoted GERB MP Dian Chervenkondev as saying.
In a separate move, the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) filed with the parliament a proposal for cancellation of the government's decision to halt the Belene project, which explicitly states that Bulgaria should hold a stake in the plant, BNR reported.
On Wednesday, it emerged that U.S.-based Global Power Consortium is ready to invest in the construction of the Belene plant, which would be the second nuclear power plant in the country if built.