Guenter Oettinger
The energy security is one of the big challenges the world is facing, said European Commissioner for Energy Guenter Oettinger at the Black Sea Energy and Economic Forum (BSEEF) through public-private partnership, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs.
Over the last years the connection between the energy and the bigger economic security becomes clearer. The task to provide it in the present world market becomes harder. Over the last ten years, the European Union developed a unique composition of rules and regulations, which established the biggest gas and energy market in the world that connects over half million consumers. The internal market gives markets the opportunity provide most efficient energy to consumers at accessible price. We increased the transparency, he noted.
Energy and gas networks will need EUR 300 billion in the next years.
I can offer those who want to co-operate in the network legal frame on gas and petrol transportation both from east and west, the EU Commissioner said.
In his words in an economy, which consumption depends on foreign sources at 80% should provide coals at gas supply at maximum.
More than half of our supply comes from Norway and Russia and thus it is necessary to develop alternative energy sources as Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.
Bulgaria is very important country because it has important geostrategic position for the European Union, neighbors and Russia, said European Commissioner for Energy Guenter Oettinger.
The Bulgarian Prime Minister [Boyko Borisov] and the government should take decisions in a compliance with the European Union. My goal is everything you aim at to be in a compliance with European policy. Today should be an example for joint talks on petrol, gas and infrastructure.
We do not have enough gas to secure ourselves. It concerns quality, amount and providing gas for long period of time. The gas capacity is enough for the EU member states but it will not last for long. Thus we should establish new connection to provide more gas, he said.
Nabucco project is very important, the EU Commissioner noted.
We want to provide opportunities the countries, via which the pipeline will pass, to intervene. It is important to hold talks with those countries, to hear the opinion of the gas suppliers. I think we have the same interests, he said further.
In his words it is very important Bulgaria and EU’s policy on nuclear energy issue to be coordinated. I believe in the next two weeks we will have the opportunity to discuss all those issues, to work out a business plan as well as to implicate the private sector in the energy field.
The EU Commissioner on Energy Guenter Oettinger took personal engagement to find private European investors for the construction of the Belene NPP, said the Bulgarian Prime Minister (PM) Boyko Borisov at a briefing during the energy conference, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs.
Prime Minister noted it became clear at the energy forum the steps taken by the government are tolerated by the European Atlantic partners.
Regarding to the energy security, each detail will be discussed with the European Commission and we will take actions if only it is of common European value, Borisov said.
Prime Minister thanked Bulgaria and Serbia will sign Friday in Brussels a contract on building inter-colectoral connections as the project amount to EUR 80 million.
“We have real friends in the European Commission, which do not want Bulgaria to suffer losses. I rely on we will be allowed using the unit 5 and 6 of the Kozloduy NPP longer,” Borisov said.
Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Traycho Traykov said he is hoped by the talks with the EU Commissioner for Energy.
EU Commissioner for Energy said careful actions should be taken under the energy projects “we are sensitive and want the contract to be fulfilled. We are interested in EU investors to be attracted for the implementation of all energy projects and express it.”
It is important Bulgaria and EU position on energy issues to be harmonized, said EU Commissioner for Energy Guenter Oettinger at a news conference, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs.
The talks between the European Commission and Bulgaria will be based on signed contracts, investments, deep analysis of the situation at the market and the opportunities for development.
On Friday, Bulgaria and Serbia will sign in Brussels a contract on gas supply and one interconnection.
The South Stream project is supported by the European Commission, providing it is in compliance to the technical security standards. The project raises the capacity of the import and establishes new infrastructural import network.
The Nabucco pipeline project lowers Europe’s dependence on gad supply. The whole Caspian region, Azerbaijan and Türkmenistan as well as the countries from the Middle East will supply the pipeline.
On Monday night Prime Minister [Boyko Borisov] presented in an impressive way the big development of the talks on the South Stream and Nabucco pipelines, EU Commissioner said.
I am happy our approach, based on pragmatism and succession, is supported, the Bulgarian Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Traycho Traykov said.
Boyko Borisov
Bulgaria is EU and NATO member state, very predictable partner, said the Bulgarian Prime Minister (PM) Boyko Borisov, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs. I said at the Summit in Bucharest and I am saying it now that all countries from West Europe, U.S. and Bulgaria put Nabucco pipeline as a priority, said Prime Minister.
Bulgarian Parliament ratified the document, financing was provided and we can start constructing it even tomorrow, said the Prime Minister.
In his words all attendants in the project should ask themselves why this is happening. We can construct both Nabucco and South Stream, Prime Minister Borisov said.
Regarding to the Burgas–Alexandroupolis pipeline our priority is the priority of the EU – ecology.
Each step of Bulgaria concerning gas, energy, will be sanctioned by the European Union, said the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, FOCUS News Agency reported informs. This is what the PM and the U Commissioner Guenter Oettinger for Energy agreed on.
We are those who are working and attending most actively the diversification of the gas. Our government is honest and tables the real problems, said Prime Minister Borisov and noted the work in reversible connections.
Unfortunately, when the competitions on several projects were held, the principles on transparency were not observed, said the PM, giving the Belene NPP as an example. The Prime Minister said further that if he has been in the governing the unit 3 and 4 of the Kozloduy NPP would not have been decommissioned.
If we are allowed we will use the unit 5 and 6 for longer period; however, they cannot be used forever and thus the procedures under the unit 7 and 8 should be opened.
On Monday night the Prime Minister held talks with the European Commissioner for Energy Guenter Oettinger. The EU Commissioner said neither Germany nor Europe tolerate government, which revise contracts signed by the former governments.
In his words, in this case, the political succession is important to know that when an investor comes to Bulgaria the next government will observe former agreements.
Over EUR 120 billion are invested in Belene NPP. There is no money in the budget from the former projects; we have just credits of hundreds of euros. This should be known when our partners in the Parliament criticize us, PM said.
I have to bury billions of euros if we stop Belene NPP project. Moreover, our decisions concern other countries as well. In the next years, we will do not have money to construct a nuclear power plant. Thus we agreed to search for European investors and money to continue the project until we find money.
We have the same position regarding to the energy security, concerning the world security. We will discuss each detail of energy security with our partners. We contact every day, said the Bulgarian Prime Minster Boyko Borisov and a news conference, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs.
Prime Minister noted the government will search for European investors to finance Belene NPP. Borisov emphasized the European Union grants us money over the projects on reversible connections. This money means support for government’s actions.
We are careful and sensitive towards the Belene NPP project, said EU Commissioner for Energy Guenter Oettinger. We read the signed contracts and we are interested in European investors to be attracted for the energy, production and structural projects, he said.
The EU Commissioner said further the energy projects should be technically convincing an in a compliance with the goals of the European Union as well as to be effective.
In his words the Nabucco pipeline projects will be fulfilled when it becomes beneficial for all of the partners in the project.
James Warlick
The U.S. wants to help Europe in providing energy sources. The decisions taken in Bulgaria and Brussels will influence for decades not only Bulgaria and thus they should be taken carefully. It is important the Atlantic Council is here to attend the discussion, said the U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria James Warlick, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs.
Our goal is to make a centralized agreement on buying energy and thus the attendance of the EU Commissioner for Energy Guenter Oettinger is very important. I hope the south corridor will continue being his priority.
The focus for the establishment of united energy market means limiting to one company constructor of networks in whole Europe and raising the importance of Bulgaria.
The Ambassador outlined five critical issues, which Bulgaria, being part of the EU, should observe – the diversification of supplies. This issue concerns not only Europe but the U.S. as well.
The second priority is that the decisions on energy should be based on the economy and energy security not on political pressure and interests of investors.
The third priority is transparency; the transparency of the initiatives for gas supply and co-operation with partners in a transparency before the whole EU is very important not to find the decisions are taken under political pressure. Bulgaria can be a leader in the transparency of the gas transportation in Europe, he said.
Energy Minister Traycho Traykov
The strategic investor of Belene NPP project is important, the Bulgarian Minister of Economy and Energy Traycho Traykov told journalists, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs.
We are focused at the strategic investor. What is left is to make round the square and to reach the investor, he noted.
Talks are developing back and forth, we are searching for the best way to make round the square, but nothing was signed yet. I still think our approach to be so open and to share all thoughts is the right one; meanwhile, you can see what problems it causes to us, Traykov said.
In his words we should choose by the end of March the possible, acceptable for all attendants and economically beneficial possibility for the continuation of the project.
Traykov thanked to the EU Commissioner for Energy w Guenter Oettinger who took personal engagement to lobby for the project and to search for private European investor.