Traycho Traykov: Coal energy is undergoing transformations and we need to prepare

Coal energy is going through transformation processes that will sooner or later call into question its ability to survive, and therefore it is better to be clear from now on what steps should be taken. This was stated by the caretaker Minister of Energy Traycho Traykov during a hearing in the relevant parliamentary commission on the occasion of a letter sent by the trade union council of the Maritza East 2 TPP EAD. The trade unions are against the removal of the Maritza East 2 TPP and Mini Maritza East from the structure of the Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH). The restructuring of BEH is a condition for the country to receive additional funding under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP).

Traykov recalled that he has already held a meeting with the trade unions with the aim of an acquaintance and information conversation in order to assess what should be done regarding the mines. According to him, the agreed reform in BEH provides for the separation of the Maritza East 2 TPP and Mini Maritza East into a new organizational unit. "In order for this to happen in a way that corresponds to everyone's understanding of what is acceptable, a serious financial plan should be drawn up, related to the necessary investments and the consequences that will arise - including the costs of early retirement of workers who will take advantage of this option, with the capitalization of the new company, with the support of the work of that part of the capacities that will continue to function according to the needs of the Bulgarian energy sector," the minister explained.

Traykov stressed that whatever is undertaken, significant financial resources will be needed for the implementation of the entire plan.

"It turns out that some measures are not implemented so easily, mainly due to the expanded budget," he added. The minister pointed out that the department had tried to make assessments of what funds would be needed for the functioning of BEH, the new structural unit and for the overall implementation of the intended plan, and these calculations should be an integral part of the final decision.

The president of KT "Support" Dimitar Manolov stated that he sees in the restructuring of BEH a path to the liquidation of electricity production from coal. "We consider this catastrophic, something that will put an end to the Bulgarian energy sector," he commented.

The chairwoman of the parliamentary energy commission Pavela Mitova from "There is such a people" stated that the prevailing majority in the National Assembly defends a position diametrically opposed to that of the Ministry of Energy.

"We do not accept that coal energy will disappear anyway, on the contrary – we are united in the fact that Bulgaria should defend its national interests and its energy sovereignty before the European Commission, to do everything possible to continue the existence of our coal energy sector and to make maximum efforts to revise the conditions of the Green Deal," she stated.

Mitova announced that she is convening a working group to prepare a draft decision to introduce a moratorium on the actions of the caretaker Minister of Energy, and added that she will most likely initiate a second extraordinary meeting of the energy commission today.