site.btaParticipants from 18 Countries Take Part in Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute's Seminar on Energy and Climate Diplomacy

Thirty-five participants from 18 countries are taking part in the 14th international seminar on "Energy and Climate Diplomacy," organized by the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute. The event in Sofia has brought together Bulgarian and international experts, diplomats, representatives of institutions, business and academia to discuss climate and energy diplomacy, the green transition, and global energy security.

Addressing participants in the seminar, Deputy Energy Minister Georgi Samandov said: "Our main challenge at the beginning of this decade was our reliance on energy resources, which we used to secure from the Russian Federation."  The invasion of Ukraine exposed this vulnerability, prompting the Ministry to develop a vision of breaking all dependencies, especially on fossil fuels, he added.

Bulgaria expects to exceed five gigawatts of installed photovoltaic capacity by the end of this year, Samandov said. "This would provide us with clean and affordable energy," the Deputy Minister noted. He added that this country aims to have 10 GWh of battery storage capacity by mid-2026. As to nuclear energy, Samandov said that Bulgaria has the ambition to become the first European country to install and operate Westinghouse’s AP1000 reactor technology.

Tanya Mihaylova, Director of the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute under the Foreign Minister, Ivanka Tasheva, Director of Foreign Economic Relations and Development Cooperation at the Foreign Ministry, and Veneta Tsvetkova, Director of Energy Projects and International Cooperation at the Energy Ministry, also took part in the opening ceremony.

Mihaylova said that the event was launched in 2010 as a forum for Bulgarian experts. "Over the years, this seminar has attracted participants from the Western Balkans, the Black Sea region, and EU Member States," the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute Director added.

The new geopolitical landscape has significantly increased the role of energy diplomacy in ensuring successful diversification and finding alternative energy sources and opportunities for greater stability, security and cooperation across Europe and beyond, Mihaylova noted. She added that Russia's war in Ukraine has dramatically reshaped regional dynamics, especially in the energy sector.

As part of the seminar, participants will visit the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant.

The event is part of a project funded through Bulgaria’s official development aid and targeted at countries in the Black Sea and Caspian Sea region.