Bulgaria Great Nuclear Dilemma

For a country that has suffered from the Chernobyl disaster and decommissioned several nuclear reactors over safety concerns, Bulgaria's pursuit of atomic energy is surprising at best.

The accident at Japan's Fukushima plant only came to fuel further concerns about nuclear power and increased its unpopularity, at least among ordinary people.

To build or not to build a second nuclear power plant, this is the question for the government in Sofia.

Will it be right if it decides not to turn its back on a technology that offers reliable power, energy security, and no carbon dioxide emissions? Will new concerns and tougher security measures mean greater costs?

The full effect of Chernobyl on Bulgaria remains unclear, largely because of the information blackout the authorities imposed following Soviet orders. Yet the rise in cancer rates and genetic defects speaks for itself. The blackout hid thousands of deaths, while safety concerns turned the nuclear energy issue into an issue of life and death.

What Japan's tragedy taught the world is that only societies that can provide good engineering, accountability and transparency can afford nuclear energy. Even the Japanese, known for their discipline, perfectionism and honesty, failed in that.

Is there even the slightest chance that Bulgarians will succeed?

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