President Radev: EU legislation to include all existing nuclear technologies in the green transition

We are becoming a guarantor of the energy security of our partners from the region, said President Rumen Radev upon his arrival to participate in the two-day meeting of the European Council in Brussels, BTA reported. He pointed out that the Bulgarian proposal to connect the gas transmission networks of our country, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria is highly appreciated. According to him, this is how it is possible to transfer the quantities of gas delivered from Azerbaijan. He noted that the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, is about to visit our country. We will conclude a memorandum - that is, Bulgaria, from a country through which Russian gas passed, becomes an active distributor of gas from a variety of sources, explained the head of state.

Radev pointed out that the caretaker government did not give up the European funds for the energy transition. According to him, the statements of European Commissioner Elisa Ferreira from this week are due to a misunderstanding. Bulgaria will receive 800 million euros this year, the condition is to present the plans by the end of the year, he added.

The President added that our country will insist on technological neutrality in the future European legislation on environmentally friendly production, which for the time being provides for the exclusion of some nuclear technologies. It relies only on small modular reactors and reactors of the fourth generation, which are still under development, the president explained. He insisted that the legislation should include all existing nuclear technologies and noted that Bulgaria had already lost a lot with the closure of the small reactors at Kozloduy. To this day, we bear the consequences of this, added the head of state.

On the occasion of the general European deliveries of projectiles to Ukraine, Radev specified that our country does not participate in this initiative, as well as nine other EU countries. Bulgaria is an important part of the European peacebuilding mechanism, the president said. He explained that the mechanism envisages strengthening the defense capabilities of the EU countries. We highly appreciate the visit of European Commissioner Thierry Breton, he added on the occasion of Breton's visit to the Bulgarian military factories a few days ago.

Together with the EC, we will work for more investment in our military defense industry to have more capacity, more modern production to replenish our stocks and help EU and NATO countries to replenish their stocks. Bulgaria is not participating in the joint supply of shells to Ukraine, the president said.

I cannot say whether Bulgaria has frozen Russian assets. The parameters are yet to be discussed, this is a very complicated process, Radev pointed out regarding the EU's intention to use the seized Russian property to restore the damage caused to Ukraine by the Russian invasion.

Bulgaria is getting more and more support for Schengen membership, he said. We have been given a specific period, I hope the next government and the next parliament will maintain this speed, pass the necessary laws. For me, October, if we fulfill all the important steps and the legislation is very important, Bulgaria can join the Schengen area, said the head of state.