A petition signed by about 500,000 Bulgarians demanding a referendum on the future of the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Kozlodui was handed to parliamentary Speaker Ognian Gerdjikov at a rally at Alexander Nevski Square last Thursday.

Nearly 5,000 people protested in central Sofia, carrying banners with slogans such as "Why?" and "Without its nuclear plant Bulgaria is naked."

The rally was organised by the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation (VMRO), Gergiovden Movement, the Civil Committee for Protection of Kozlodui (CCPK), the Union of Nuclear Operators, and the Bulgarian Nuclear Society.

The only parliamentary support came from MPs from the Coalition for Bulgaria.

"It is a choice between cheap energy and expensive energy, between an increase in prices and the growth of the economy, between dignity and humiliation," said the petition's initiator Alexander Karakachanov of VMRO.

A declaration addressed to the EU was read at the rally. It expressed the people's concern about the political pressure exerted on the country and voiced hope that Bulgaria would be put on a par with its European partners.

Professor Marko Semov, chair of CCPK, said that none of the EU countries' experts had been able to name a technical motive in favour of the NPP's decommissioning, while their interest in turning Bulgaria into an electricity importer was obvious.

"We know, believe in and respect European values, that is why we turned to the ambassadors of the EU countries to Bulgaria and asked them to support a competent revision of the technical condition of the reactors and of the past agreements," Semov said.

"These agreements are the product of a past time and of a past idea of the fate of Bulgaria's NPP. Today things have changed immensely. This is a very safe plant today. We hope Europe will acknowledge that," Semov added.

The NPP provides 45 per cent of Bulgaria's power. In 1999, Sofia agreed to close the two oldest reactors at the plant by 2003 as a condition for starting EU membership talks. This year it is due to conclude negotiations on shutting down two other reactors.

Stefan Vodenicharov, chair of CCPK, proposed that an all-nation bond loan be organised, which would allow the Bulgarian people to independently modernise the first and second reactors of the NPP.

Upon receiving the signed petition, Gerdjikov said "a referendum is not necessary because the will of the Bulgarian people is known".

President Georgi Purvanov had stated a similar view earlier. "If necessary, we are to consult the people about the Bulgarian nuclear power. To me, the answer is obvious. Most of the Bulgarians want Bulgaria to produce nuclear power," he said.