Bulgaria Nuclear Plant Head to Resign over Insult by Minister

Ivan Genov (middle) is determined to resign as head of the Kozloduy NPP. Photo by BGNES

Ivan Genov, the Director of Bulgaria's Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, confirmed Sunday his intention to resign.

Genov said he was going to resign on Monday, after his summer vacation was over, because he felt insulted by a comment made last week by the new Minister of Economy, Energy, and Tourism, Traicho Traikov, that the Kozloduy NPP had made unfavorable contracts for selling electricity on the open market.

"Last year we brought state revenue of about BGN 200-300 M. This year we have attracted four new private companies who buy electricity for us on market prices and compensate for the losses that we have from selling 60% of our energy to the state on lower than the market prices. Our plant has staff that meets the world standards, and has received international recognition", Genov told the Bulgarian National Radio.

The NPP Director also announced that some of the 4 000 employees of the plant had started collecting signatures in order to support him to remain at his position.

"I have never worked at any other place. I have been at the Kozloduy NPP for 29 years. The people there needs to be protected, and I will always be with them, even if I don't work there any more," Genov said.

Earlier on Sunday Bulgaria's Economy Minister Traikov said that Genov still had not resigned, and that the government was going to handle the situation accordingly if he did resign.

 

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