Prime Minister Talks with Experts from US Department of State and Department of Energy

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov met with experts from the US Department of State and Department of Energy in Sofia on Tuesday, the Bulgarian government information service said. The US delegation's visit comes in implementation of agreements reached during Borissov's meeting with President Donald Trump in the White House on November 25. The guests' aim
is to get to know the local energy enterprises in greater detail. Their talks with the Prime Minister were also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev and Energy Minister
Temenouzhka Petkova.

Borissov said: "Most importantly, President Trump understood and encouraged us, because, as a member of NATO, we are a very loyal and good partner and we can serve as a model for others. Second, [we concurred that] the Balkan Stream project is not at odds with the natural gas interconnector with Greece; they complement each other for genuine diversification in the whole region. And third, [we acknowledged that] the nuclear energy industry should be free of dogmas, particularly when we talk about green energies, clean air and the quality of life."

The Prime Minister also noted that coal-fired power plants do not have a rosy future, especially now that the European Commission is working on a European Green Deal. Therefore, the Belene nuclear power plant project in Bulgaria and the country's existing N-plant at Kozloduy are becoming extremely important not only for the purposes of energy diversification but also for Bulgaria's future energy balance, he said.

He further stressed that cooperation with the United States will help Bulgaria boost its energy security and diversify its energy sources and energy supply routes, including by importing liquefied natural gas on beneficial terms for Bulgaria. "Nuclear energy could provide a sound basis to develop our two countries' partnership," Borissov added.

Ann Ganzer, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the US State Department Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, said that Prime Minister Borissov had "a very good meeting" with President Trump. Ganzer said that her immediate superior, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Ford, also has very good impressions from his November 16 meeting with Borissov in Sofia.

On Monday, the US energy experts visited the site for the future Belene N-plant. Energy Minister Petkova briefed them on the technical parameters of the project and underscored Bulgaria's experience in nuclear energy, given the successful management of  the Kozloduy N-plant according to the highest safety standards.

In the coming days, the guests will also tour the Maritsa East 2 Thermal Power Plant and the Kozloduy N-plant.

Source: BTA