ACTION INSTEAD OF TALKS NEEDED FOR RE-OPENING OF BULGARIA'S NPP UNITS- KOUNEVA

09:06 Mon 05 Feb 2007

Meglena Kouneva<br>Courtesy of European Community 2007

Meglena Kouneva
Courtesy of European Community 2007

Bulgaria has to act rather than to discuss the re-opening of units of Kozloduy nuclear power plant, European Commissioner for Consumer Protection Meglena Kouneva said.

Kouneva said that Bulgaria should no longer differentiate itself from the EU as the country was already part of it.

EU membership gave Bulgaria many opportunities and people had to understand the fact, said Kouneva.

Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Atanas Paparizov said that Bulgaria has signed an accession treaty, which said that the two units should be closed.

The country has to put lots of effort into convincing other EU members that the reactors are safe and could continue functioning, said Paparizov. Bulgaria also had to show that the two reactors play an important role in solving Southeastern Europe’s energy problems, he said as quoted by Focus news agency.

“Once we prove that the two reactors are safe, it is not impossible for the issue to be put on the agenda once again,” said Paparizov.

Comments

Comments by Dr. Jerry Kuhaida - 17:23 05 Feb 2007
	I do not understand the issue of the two nuclear reactors. I spent a month in Bulgaria and was told the reactors had saftey problems in the past.The problems had been fixed and the reactors are now among the safest in the world. Now, Bulgaria exports electricity to surrounding countries. A major economic benefit to both Bulgaria and the recipient countries. A major EU concern is climate warming. Nuclear power does not produce carbon, believed to be the major source of climate change. The coal-fired electrical generating plants are a major souce. Agreements can be changed. I did economic development work for the Russian nuclear city of Zheleznogorsk in Siberia. Six nuclear reactors used to produce plutonium were located there. The reactors were also the source of electricity and heat to the residents of the City. An international agreement was made that required shutting the reactors down in 2006. I recently asked if the reactors had been shut down. One still operates to provide electricity and warmth to the residents. Otherwise the people would suffer. If so, Bulgaria should work hard to revise the EU agreement. The benefits to Bulgaria and the EU are more important to whatever problems the reactors might cause.