Bulgarian Finance Minister Simeon Dyankov said on
February 19 that he would not authorise a loan from
Russia
to continue construction on Belene nuclear power plant.
Speaking to Bulgarian National Radio, Dyankov said: "I will not allow
state guarantees [for a loan], our Budget would not survive it, nor do we need
it."
"If there are other financial options being discussed today, but not only
with
Russia
, also with European partners, then it can be interesting. But
Bulgaria
will not tie itself down with a loan from
Russia
, we have no way of servicing that in the Budget," he said.
Dyankov's statement comes on the day that Russian energy minister Sergey
Shmatko made his third visit in five months to
Sofia
,
accompanied by the head of
Russia
's state nuclear corporation Rosatom, Sergey Kirienko.
It was expected that the two Russian officials would meet with Bulgaria's
Economy and Energy ministerTraycho Traykov to discuss the details of the
offer reportedly made by Kirienko in Sofia a week earlier, namely that Rosatom
lends two billion euro to Bulgaria to continue construction on Belene, in
exchange for a stake of 30 to 35 per cent in the future plant.
Rosatom subsidiary Atomstroyexport is contracted to build the two 1000MW
light-water reactors at Belene for four billion euro. Work on the project has
been put on hold over lack of funding and also to allow Bulgaria to draft a new
strategy for the project and seek new strategic investors, after RWE pull out
in 2009 from the agreement to buy 49 per cent.
The new strategy would be drafted by a newly-picked consultant. The deadline in
the tender to choose the new adviser is March 2010 and a contract is expected
to be signed by June, website mediapool.bg said.