The first talks with the EC on renegotiation of the Recovery Plan are coming next week, commented Pekanov
Pekanov was adamant that we cannot ask for the second payment under the PVU until all the laws are passed, they have been submitted to the parliament, but only two have been passed
The official cabinet will comply with the decision of the parliament. We will take steps to renegotiate those commitments in the Recovery and Sustainability Plan that appear unrealistic or difficult to implement in the current environment. This was said by Atanas Pekanov, the Deputy Prime Minister for the management of European funds, in the studio of "More of the Day" on BNT.
The vice-prime minister for management of European funds also said that yesterday the Bulgarian government informed the EC about the decision of the parliament. A first conversation on the topic will be held next week. The EC, for its part, is also preparing because our case is a precedent.
"Due to the ever-changing energy situation this year, and possibly next year as well, if the situation remains the same, it seems very difficult to meet the Recovery Plan goals of a 10% reduction in coal-fired emissions this year, as well as next line, we will conduct negotiations, whatever the decision of the parliament is, we will comply with it," explained Pekanov.
However, according to him, this decision is a precedent and a new achievement of Bulgarian parliamentarism. It is interesting how the Bulgarian parliament forces the EC and all member countries to agree to the renegotiation of our plan. According to him, the decision of the parliament moves on the razor's edge of populism.
Pekanov emphasized that there is a rather serious change in the circumstances in relation to our coal plants compared to 2021, when the criticism was that Bulgaria was supporting them.
"Now it is the exact opposite. They support the Bulgarian state. In addition, Bulgaria exports electricity to neighboring countries and in this sense is currently helping the whole of Europe, at least on the Balkan Peninsula, to calm down the situation in the energy system. Under the changed circumstances, it is appropriate to talks about these topics," he said.
The decision of the parliament says that we should not make any restrictions until 2038. This seems to me relatively difficult to achieve, since there are a number of European regulations that are moving in this direction," added Pekanov.
The talks will call for dropping the 40% emissions reduction requirement for this year and next and offer alternatives. He emphasizes that in the current situation this is the right decision, which we will defend during the talks with the EC.
In the long term, however, investments must be made to offer alternatives to the people of the region.
Pekanov was adamant that we cannot ask for the second payment under the Recovery Plan until all laws are passed. He specified that all these laws were submitted to the parliament, but only two of them were adopted. He added that the office is currently working on the laws regarding the third payment.