President Radev: The closure of coal-fired power plants should be postponed as much as possible
The date of 2036, which has been announced to Brussels at the moment, needs to be moved even further in time, the President believes
The closure of Bulgarian coal-fired power plants requires a decision with a long-term vision, taken by consensus of all parties. Although such a decision should be taken by a regular government with a lasting commitment, given the circumstances, a solution is sought within the caretaker government. This was stated by the head of state Rumen Radev to journalists in Kardzhali.
In response to a journalistic question, the President commented on the conditions set by the EC for the submission of the Bulgarian Recovery and Sustainability Plan. "The closure of coal energy is a strategic decision. It is extremely binding with the solution of a huge social problem in Bulgaria ", said Radev and pointed out that at the moment coal-fired power plants guarantee our autonomy and independence from price fluctuations internationally.
The possible date for shutting down the power plants should be postponed as much as possible in order to ensure a low price of electricity and utilization of our resources, the head of state added. "The previous rulers have declared 2036 as a deadline in their transition strategy and have submitted it to the European Union. My personal opinion is that we must fight for this deadline to be extended. At the same time, this production should be effectively organized so that we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the price of which is constantly rising, "the president said.
The head of state stressed that the caretaker government is doing everything possible within its powers to successfully complete the Recovery and Sustainability Plan.