Bulgarian Parliament to Discuss Bill on Payment of Debt to Russia's Rosatom

The Bulgarian parliament on Wednesday is expected to discuss a bill on the payment of debt of the country's Natsionalna Elektricheska Kompania EAD (NEK EAD) energy company to a subsidiary of Russia’s Rosatom nuclear energy corporation, local media reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – On Tuesday, the Bulgarian government approved the bill on financial aid to the NEK EAD to help the company pay debt to JSC Atomstroyexport over the halt of the Belene nuclear power plant (NPP) construction.

According to the BNR broadcaster, the parliament will discuss the draft law at first reading.

The sum of possible financial aid was not revealed, but the media outlet reported citing Prime Minister Boyko Borissov that some 650 million euros ($725 million at the current exchange rates) could be allocated to "Russian companies."

In 2006, Atomstroyexport won an international tender on the construction of two units of the Belene NPP but the project was frozen in 2009 after the new government headed by Borissov had come to power.

According to the decision of the International Court of Arbitration at the International Chamber of Commerce in Geneva, Bulgaria has to repay more than $700 million to the Russian company.