EP largely approved the extension of the EU financial assistance to Kozloduy NPP's decommissioning

The European Parliament widely approves Dr Antonyia Parvanova's position on EU nuclear decommissioning aid to Bulgaria (Kozloduy programme).

Today, the European Parliament has largely approved the extension of the EU financial assistance to Bulgaria for the decommissioning of the units 1 to 4 of Kozloduy nuclear power plant.

The report adopted in plenary fully reflects the proposal made by Dr Antonyia Parvanova MEP as rapporteur on this issue within the EP Committee on the Environment, and gives the green light for an additional 300 millions euros aid to Bulgaria, in order to ensure the safe decommissioning of the KNPP's reactors 1 to 4 and to invest in energy efficiency and renewable as a fair compensation following the impacts of the early closure of these units on the energy sector in Bulgaria, and for the Bulgarian economy as a whole.

At the end of April Bulgaria came closer to receiving EUR 300 M in additional EU nuclear decommissioning aid after the EP Committee on Industry, Research, and Energy backed the proposal.

The EP Committee approved all amendments to the EC proposal for additional compensations to Bulgaria put forward by the Bulgarian MEP Vladimir Urutchev.

Over the last ten years Bulgaria has received a total of EUR 550 M in compensation for the closure of four units at Kozloduy that had been deemed unsafe, but the government hopes to receive EUR 300 M more under Europe's recovery plan.

Bulgaria's previous Socialist-led government first called for additional money a year ago and went as far as to ask Brussels to compensate the country for the double blow of the gas crisis and the global economic slowdown by allowing a restart of the units.

Following today's vote, Dr Antonyia Parvanova declared: "I do not regret to have stand for Bulgaria on this dossier, and made clear that our country will use this aid in a responsible and coherent way, despite many attempts from other MEPs to spread misleading information and hijacked this report for political purpose. I am glad that with this vote, the main objective of the programme is respected and will ensure a safe decommissioning and a fair compensation for Bulgaria, while supporting our efforts towards a more sustainable energy policy."