Bulgaria will receive more than EUR 480 million under the RePowerEU plan related to the energy transition of the European countries. This became clear during a scientific forum on energy transformation held today at the University of National and World Economy. The event was opened by the Minister of Economy and Industry Nikola Stojanov.
‘The past one year has shown us how important is the issue of building new generation energy capacities that will gradually replace the carbon-intensive ones,’ Minister Stojanov said. In his words, the war in Ukraine has set a new agenda for Europe, which requires quick decisions for its energy security, which directly affect the economy. ‘In recent months we have proved that we can take decisions in a few days that have been delayed for years’, the minister stressed.
‘REPowerEU’ provides an additional opportunity for Bulgarian industry to decarbonise, reduce energy costs and expand its share in the economy,’ Minister Stojanov said. He added that the Plan will help small and medium enterprises, which are under the greatest pressure from high energy prices.
For the financing of investments and reforms in the whole plan of the European Commission ‘REPowerEU’ funds in the amount of EUR 20 billion are set, it became clear during the forum. ‘Now is the time for the state, business and academia to find the most credible solutions so that the Bulgarian economy reaps great and most importantly — long-term benefits from the Plan,’ said Nikola Stojanov.
During the event, topics related to alternative fuels, coal-fired power plants, long-term prospects for diversification of energy supplies and changes for the Bulgarian economy in this context were discussed.
The Forum is organized jointly with the Energy Business and Infrastructure Research Centre of the University of National and World Economy and the Union of Economists in Bulgaria. Participants were Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov, Rector of the UNWE, prof. Tatiana Hubenova-Delisivkova, President of the Union of Economists in Bulgaria, Konstantin Stamenov, Chairman of the Board of the Bulgarian Federation of Industrial Energy Consumers, Slavcho Neykov, Chairman of the Board of the Institute for Energy Management, students and experts in the field, and others.