Bulgarian GERB Scraps PM's Hearing on Belene NPP Fate

Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, is yet to appraise MPs on the exact content of his Monday conversation with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin focused on the second NPP project. Photo by BGNES

Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, had declined appearing in the Parliament for a hearing on the fate of the Belene Nuclear Power Plant.

The co-Chairs of the right-wing Blue Coalition, Ivan Kostov, leader of the Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, DSB, and Martin Dimitrov, leader of the Union of Democratic Forces, UDF, requested the hearing because the future of Bulgaria's second NPP in the Danube town of Belene remains even more unclear after Monday's phone conversation between the prime ministers of Bulgaria and Russia.

After the long-anticipated talk between Borisov and his Russian counterpart and President-elect Vladimir Putin, the Bulgarian government press service issued a vague release, explaining Borisov had "informed" Putin of the decision of his Cabinet on whether to build the Belene plant, without really specifying what the respective position is.

The press release only noted that when convenient for him, Borisov will inform the President and the Parliament.

The right wing's hearing request, backed by the left-wing opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, was however, rejected Wednesday by the Members of the Parliament from Borisov's ruling, center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB.

Meanwhile, all major Bulgarian media report that the country keeps holding its breath because it is anticipated that Borisov will inform Wednesday the members of the Cabinet about the content of the conversation during the regularly scheduled Council of Ministers meeting.

It is also expected that the PM will apprise the Parliamentary Economy Committee later during the day, but this talk will be held behind closed doors.