PM Radev: The Government Is Committed to the Sustainable Development of Bulgaria's Energy Sector

The Bulgarian government is committed to the sustainable development of the energy sector, protecting workers and preserving thermal power plants and coal mining as a sovereign baseload power source. To this end, the government is maintaining an ongoing dialogue with the European Commission over reforms agreed in the sector in recent years, as well as the scale and pace of the green transition, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said.

Radev made the remarks on August 13 during a meeting with representatives of Bulgaria’s nationally representative trade unions, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) and Podkrepa Confederation of Labour, held at the Council of Ministers. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Galab Donev, Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov and Energy Minister Iva Petrova also attended.

During the meeting, trade union representatives voiced concerns over reforms undertaken in recent years involving the restructuring of coal-fired power generation and related enterprises, and the resulting loss of jobs.

Prime Minister Radev stressed the Bulgarian government’s determination to work towards the sustainable and balanced development of the country’s regions, highlighting measures taken to preserve employment in Stara Zagora and the surrounding area.

The Prime Ministe noted that the agreed postponement of the closure of the thermal power plants in the Maritsa basin until 2038 does not resolve the issue of their economic viability during this period, given the EU’s climate targets and high emissions allowance prices. For this reason, the Bulgarian government, together with other EU member states, is working to reconsider the Emissions Trading System and to recognise the importance of coal-fired power generation as a sovereign baseload power source, particularly amid the current energy crisis.

The meeting also discussed approaches to protecting workers and preserving employment in the Maritsa basin through land reclamation, transforming existing production, creating conditions for new technological capacities and retraining workers for new professions, alongside attracting investment to the Stara Zagora region.