Bulgaria Halts Sale of Nuclear Reactors to Ukraine Over Energy Security Concerns

The two nuclear reactors from Bulgaria's Belene Nuclear Power Plant will not be sold to Ukraine, Deputy Prime Minister and Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) leader Atanas Zafirov confirmed during a briefing at the party's headquarters following a meeting of its Executive Bureau. He emphasized that this is a collective decision of the ruling coalition, describing the reactors as crucial to Bulgaria’s energy security and economic independence.

Zafirov stated that nuclear energy is a reliable, cost-effective, and predictable energy source. He argued that Bulgaria has both the infrastructure and the expertise to develop this sector domestically and that selling the reactors would have been a grave mistake. While he acknowledged the possibility of parliament addressing the issue, he reiterated his readiness to support such a decision through a National Assembly vote.

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that all coalition partners, including GERB, have backed the decision not to proceed with the sale. He personally discussed the matter with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and expressed gratitude for the unified support. Zafirov underlined the strategic nature of the decision, especially amid rising global energy prices and ongoing instability in the sector.

Negotiations on selling the two Russian-made VVER-1000 reactors—initially intended for the unfinished Belene NPP—began in 2023. In January, Ukraine’s parliament approved a plan to acquire the reactors for expanding the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant. The deal was endorsed by Bulgaria’s parliament at a value exceeding $600 million. Ukrainian lawmakers later confirmed that modernization efforts, including the two units, would cost up to $1 billion.

However, the sale will now not go forward. While the decision is currently backed by the government coalition, parliamentary confirmation remains pending.

Zafirov also addressed the upcoming no-confidence vote in parliament initiated over corruption concerns. Supported by MECH, Revival, and Greatness parties, the vote is scheduled for discussion on Wednesday. The Deputy Prime Minister dismissed it as a political maneuver aimed at disrupting government operations and halting efforts to normalize state functioning. According to him, the opposition is offering no viable alternatives and seeks only to derail Bulgaria’s progress.

He reiterated BSP’s continued support for the Zhelyazkov cabinet and its coalition partners, rejecting any notion of yielding to political pressure. Zafirov warned that such destabilization attempts threaten to divert Bulgaria from its strategic direction and risk plunging the country back into disorder.

He concluded by stressing that the state must uphold order, stability, and well-defined governance, rejecting institutional crisis and politically motivated sabotage.