site.btaParliament to Hear Officials over Kozloduy NPP Reactor Shutdowns

Parliament will hear on February 19 representatives of Kozloduy NPP and the competent authorities regarding the emergency shutdowns of Unit 6 at the nuclear power plant, MPs decided on Wednesday with 107 votes in favour, 86 against and 14 abstentions. The proposal was put forward by MP Yordan Todorov of Vazrazhdane.

Lawmakers agreed to hear outgoing Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov, Kozloduy NPP CEO Ivan Andreev and Nuclear Regulatory Agency Chair Tsanko Bachiyski, concerning potential violations of regulatory and legal requirements related to changes in design equipment and the use of uncertified components at Kozloduy NPP, which led to three emergency shutdowns of Unit 6, creating risks for Bulgaria’s energy and national security and losses amounting to tens of millions of euros.

As the first item on Wednesday’s agenda, MPs scheduled the first reading of a bill amending the Penal Code, tabled by Iskra Mihaylova (MRF - New Beginning) and a group of MPs, following a proposal by Hamid Hamid (MRF - New Beginning), adopted with 145 votes in favour, 45 against and 11 abstentions.

The next item on the agenda is the first reading of five bills amending the Health Act. MPs are also expected to discuss a bill ratifying an international agreement on the acquisition of a mobile missile (NSM) coastal defence system (CDS) and an international agreement on a Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS), along with related support and equipment.