Turkey has no definite plans to construct a nuclear power plant or a thermal power plant on the Bulgarian border, Bulgarian Economy Minister Delyan Dobrev told Parliament Friday.

Answering a question by his predecessor, Socialist MP Petar Dimitrov, about the reports that Turkey mulls building either a NPP, or a TPP in the Black Sea town of Igneada, right on the Bulgarian border near Rezovo, Dobrev said his ministry has not seen any paperwork about an environmental impact procedure of such a project.

The Economy Minister did point out the recent attempts on part of the Bulgarian government to contact Turkey's government over its potential plans to build a power plant in Igneada as well as the fact that several Turkish officials generally refuted them.

"I raised this question several times and I got answers that there are no definite intentions on part of Turkey to construct any kind of power plant. But even if there are any such intentions, they must meet the strictest EU requirements with respect to protecting the environment," Dobrev stated.

He further noted that during a recent meeting held in Bulgaria's Burgas of the mayors from the municipalities on both sides of the border, there was information that Turkey does not plan to build a thermal power plant near Bulgaria's border village of Rezovo because of a negative position by Turkey's Environment Ministry.

In his words, Bulgarian Environment Minister Nona Karadzhova has sent a formal inquiry to the Turkish government through the Bulgarian foreign ministry but has not received any reply yet.

A Socialist MP, Penko Atanasov, retorted that the mayors' meeting in Burgas was in fact held at the initiative of the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, and said the BSP was afraid that during a recent visit to Ankara, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov actually consented to the construction of the Turkish plant on the Bulgarian border.

"Most likely they will build both a NPP, and a TPP, and then we will do away with our Black Sea coast as we did away with the Strandzha mountain and tourism. They will be gone. We are worried because you're not conducting the necessary high-level policy. We cannot be happy with the answers you are providing," Atanasov said.

Dobrev in turn retorted by accusing the Socialists of using the reports about a Turkish NPP or TPP on the Bulgarian border for their pre-election campaigning ahead of the 2013 parliamentary elections in Bulgaria.

He accused Atanasov of creating panic with the people, and said he was present at the meetings of Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov in Ankara, and that the latter back then had no talks about a potential power plant on the Bulgarian border.

"It is wrong to cause panic by claiming that the construction of a TPP can ruin the Bulgarian tourism. You know that in Varna we have a larger TPP than what the Turks might decide to build. I don't see how the Varna TPP has ruined our tourism. And there will not be such a TPP based on the information that I have from Turkey right now," Dobrev concluded.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!