International companies wish to lease the two closed units of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, units 3 and 4, Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said at a news conference on Wednesday. They have also taken commitments to lobby within the Member States for the re-opening of the two 440-megawatt reactors, the Prime Minister observed.

He was speaking at a news conference after a meeting with Economy and Energy Minister Peter Moutafchiev, at which the two discussed the preparation of a series of agreement, which are to be signed with the Russian Federation during the upcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Bulgaria.

Bulgaria's Treaty on Accession to the EU explicitly says that upon Bulgaria's wish for durable opening of units 3 and 4 of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant it has to hold consultations with all other 26 Member States. This is a tough diplomatic task, assigned to the Foreign Ministry and the Economy and Energy Ministry, Stanishev said.

Economy and Energy Minister Peter Dimitrov recalled that since January 14 Bulgaria has not been exporting electricity and the cold reserve has been almost fully utilized. "According to us, the decision on the closure of units 3 and 4 was unfair and ineffective not only in regards to us but also in regards to the rest of the countries in the region," said Dimitrov.

On December 27 the Council of Ministers sent а request to the European Commission to launch a dialogue for increasing of the assistance for the Kozloduy International Fund, which currently amounts to 550 million euro, and extending the term of its utilization beyond 2009, the Economy and Energy Minister specified.

Referring to Stanishev's statement concerning the decommissioned Kozloduy units, Dimitrov said that Canadian and British companies have expressed interest in leasing them and seeking a mutually viable solution in case they are put into operation again.

Taking a question, Stanishev noted that a a number of agreements are expected to be signed during the visit, the stress being on energy cooperation, as well as the field of transport, military cooperation, nuclear energy and tourism. The Prime Minister also added he believed the Russian side would also succeed in formally approving the already coordinated programme for cooperation in the field of science, education and culture.

Stanishev also remarked that a clear policy is being conducted to turn Bulgaria into an energy centre in Southeastern Europe for which this country has all geographical conditions. The Bourgas-Alexandroupolis, South Stream and Nabucco projects are part of this policy, but no agreement can be signed at all costs, he added, stating that it is important for Bulgaria to see a sufficiently clearly-defined economic interest in addition to the geostrategic one.