Bulgarian Far-Right Joins Calls for Belene N-Plant Referendum

Volen Siderov, leader of the far-right Bulgarian Ataka (Attack) party. Photo by BGNES

Volen Siderov, leader of the far-right Bulgarian Ataka (Attack) party, wants a referendum to be called on the fate of the Belene Nuclear Power Plant, a project recently abandoned by the cvountry's government.

On Thursday, Siderov praised President Rosen Plevneliev for appearing in the Parliament, reminding that a Bulgarian President has not appeared before the Parliament in years,

"I hope that no-one is telling you what stances you should take on key strategic issues such as Belene. The position of Ataka, as well as that of other parties, is different, therefore the Bulgarian society is divided on this topic," Siderov said.

"A referendum will give us a clear answer on whether we need nuclear capacities or not," he claimed.

Former President Georgi Parvanov has also declared that he will seek a referendum on the scrapped nuclear project if his left-wing Bulgarian Socialist party enters the next government.

Last week, Bulgaria's government announced it has abandoned plans to build a new, 2000 megawatt nuclear power plant on the Danube River for which it has contracted Russian state firm Atomstroyexport.

The government proposed that a gas-powered plant is built on the site in Belene.

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