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06.03.2017 10:03- Russian ambassador to Bulgaria Anatoly Makarov
© bTV
Russia is interested in the Balkan gas hub project, Anatoly Makarov, ambassador of Russia to Bulgaria said in an interview for bTV on Sunday.
Makarov stressed that the lack of government in Bulgaria, coupled with the inactivity of the joint intergovernmental commission of Sofia and Moscow have hindered talks on particular projects. He explained that the intergovernmental commission has not held any meetings for five years, ending in January 2016. A meeting is planned for 2017 and it could be coupled with a visit of Russian president Vladimir Putting in Bulgaria. Makarov said that he has already discussed the possibility of such visit with Bulgarian president Rumen Radev.
“We have to know one thing – we tried to do together the South Stream project which ended quite sadly. Neither Bulgaria, nor Russia wants the same approach. We are ready to assess whether we could join the [Balkan] gas hub. What we are asking for is to see the feasibility studies of the project and to know that the European Union will guarantee the realization of this project”, Makarov stated.
He expressed his firm belief that neither Burgas-Alexandrupolis oil pipeline, nor Belene NPP, or South Stream gas pipeline project, were cancelled because they were not economically justified. In Makarov’s word the reason was rather lack political will.
“South Stream was thought through and through till the end. There are still pipes stored at the Varna port which will be used for the construction of Turkish Stream”, Makarov said.
The Russian ambassador to Bulgaria expressed his content with the settling of the debt of Bulgaria’s National Electricity Company to Russia’s Atomstroyexport for the equipment produced for the cancelled Belene NPP project.
Regarding the plans for the construction of a second nuclear power plant and a possible new nuclear unit at Bulgaria’s Kozloduy NPP, Makarov said that Russia, and other companies and countries, had commercial interest to participate. He added that Moscow was ready to hold talks on the matter when a new government is elected in Bulgaria.
“Maybe we will be looking for an investor, maybe we would be working together”, Makarov commented on the possibilities around these two nuclear projects.
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