A private Turkish investor wants to build a Thermal Power Plant with a coal port just several kilometers away from the border with Bulgaria, according to Bulgarian President, Rosen Plevneliev.

Plevneliev spoke from Ankara, after a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Bulgarian President is on an official two-day visit to Turkey.

"Bulgaria will have a hard time halting a private project if it adheres to all requirements but, together with the Turkish Environment Ministry, the area could be studied and the project redirected to another location," said he.

Plevneliev added that the project to build a TPP and a port, where coal from the Ukraine will be delivered, was in a very early stage, stressing the Bulgarian side has voiced all its alarm and worries about such project before Erdogan, and a significant portion of the talks has been dedicated to the issue.

The Bulgarian President has explained to the Turkish PM that tourism is a strategic industry for both countries, and they owe it to future generations to keep beaches and nature intact.

"We are seriously alarmed. Bulgarians in the area and Turks in the area rallied against these plans. We want this issue to be monitored closely and we hope Turkey will understand that Bulgaria has a serious problem with this project. We voice our alarm early enough and from now on anticipate detailed information and serious consideration. A detailed environmental assessment would not be enough. We count on the support of our Turkish friends," Plevneliev has said, cited by the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR.

Earlier Wednesday, Turkish President, Abdullah Gul, despite recent reports that his country will give up plans to build a nuclear power plant and/or a thermal power plant in the town of Igneada, which is located 5 km south of the Bulgarian-Turkish border, told Plevneliev during their meeting that both projects are under consideration.

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