Sociologist: Belene NPP is a symbol of Bulgaria’s industrial recovery

The Belene NPP project is not just about the construction of a nuclear power plant. It is Bulgaria’s chance to become an industrial power again. This statement was made by head of the Mediana center for political, economic and social studies Kolio Kolev following the January referendum on the construction of the second nuclear power plant in Bulgaria, Russian mass media report.

For the past twenty years Bulgaria has seen its economy going de-industrialized. Mechanical engineering, defense industry, chemical industry and marine fleet ceased to exist… Even agriculture is experiencing a slowdown. It has become segmented and inefficient. This is a crushing blow to the self-respect of the Bulgarian nation. The Belene NPP project is not just about the construction of a nuclear power plant. It is a symbol of Bulgaria’s revival as an industrial nation, not just a popular tourist destination and a vegetable producer. It is no surprise that the Belene NPP project and the overall nuclear industry got an overwhelming public support during the referendum,” the Bulgarian sociologist underlined.

On 27 January Bulgaria held a referendum to decide whether the country should construct the new nuclear power plant. The referendum was authorized by the National Assembly of Bulgaria. It was preceded by Bulgaria’s decision to terminate the Belene project in March 2012. A month later the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party launched a campaign to hold a referendum. The party collected the necessary 500,000 votes and submitted the referendum petition to the parliament. The National Assembly set the date for the referendum on the construction of the Belene NPP with total rated capacity of 2,000 megawatts. Premier Boyko Borisov stated that regardless of the results of the referendum the future of the Belene project will still be uncertain, because the government does not have enough resources for the project.

At present Bulgaria operates the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, one of the biggest in Eastern Europe. It was built with the help of the USSR in 1974.