Former energy minister Alexander Nikolov sees no possibility of balancing the energy system without coal-fired thermal power plants

"Territorial plans will have an impact on the whole of energy, but again it is decided piecemeal. There is no structure in which this leads to something good". Alexander Nikolov, former Minister of Energy, commented on this before BNR.

"The demands are structured and justified by certain groups. This is a reproach to those who lead the negotiations. During these negotiations, critical information is missing and there are no representatives of enterprises that even directly influence the Stara Zagora region. Their position is extremely important for what is going to happen going forward with the whole region. The second thing that is critically missing from the position at any point in time that I would require in making any decision because it is defining for the next 3 years minimum, is what is happening with NEC, accordingly, BEH should be present there as the owner of the capital," he said, drawing attention to the existing long-term contracts.

The former energy minister thinks it's strange that once again the whole picture is not being taken into account. Nowhere is there a common vision of what to do with climate change and the position of the state, he emphasized.

"When we talk in the territorial decarbonisation plans or in the Recovery and Sustainability Plan, it is very clear that the first reduction in emissions will come from the corporate-run plants. These effects are not taken into account by anyone. Why instead of sitting down and making a general a picture as positive as possible for everyone, once again we see political time being bought with empty talk, there are totally different positions when communicating to the EC and when communicating internally to the protesters, there is a different position when speaking from executive and legislative power. This leads to fueling the dissatisfaction of those working in the sector, because there is no clarity, transparency and rationality behind the decisions made".

Nikolov is adamant that no final decision is correct. According to the net, territorial plans are a small part. "The direct effect of the "Energy" sector is over 20 billion in the economy, plus the cost multiplier is the highest, i.e. it affects our economy the most."

He agrees with the unions' claims. In his words, it is "impossible to balance the system in the winter months without coal plants".

According to him, the energy system is decapitalized, shaken and managed on the basis of personal interests. "If the corrupt practices are not stopped and the sector is not managed in the public interest, nothing good awaits us," said Nikolov.

"Public interest begins with speaking the truth about sectors on which we all depend. These sectors in Bulgaria are horribly corrupt and are only used for political chewing gum by people who don't care at all what happens to people", he also believes the former energy minister.