Russia's Atomstroyexport, which Bulgaria contracted to build its Belene nuclear power plant, is not worried over the temporary moratorium sought by GERB leader and future prime minister Boyko Borisov.

"Belene is a priority project for Bulgaria", Russian Vedomosti newspaper cited an unnamed representative of the company as saying.

"Sofia will give up neither the South Stream project, nor Nabucco, because both are profitable for Bulgaria," Mikhail Korchemkin, head of the East European Gas Analysis think-tank, commented.

He warned, however, that Gazprom, the state-controlled gas export monopoly, will waste precious time in talks with the new government, both official and unofficial.

"The Russian government believes that all agreements made earlier will be realized," the newspaper cited the spokesman of the Russian Prime Minister Dmitrij Peskov.

Bulgaria has put two major energy projects with Russia on hold until the country's new prime minister-designate Boyko Borisov carries out a review of outstanding projects, the Russian business daily said on Monday.

The center-right GERB party won a landslide victory at parliamentary elections on July 5 and its leader Borisov is expected to head a new government soon, Vedomosti reported.

In a letter sent to Economy and Energy Minister Petar Dimitrov, the future leader said his party was receiving alarming signals over operations conducted by state-owned companies, which have not taken into account the financial and economic crisis and Bulgaria's national interests, Vedomosti reported.

The letter called on the minister to put on hold finalizing of new lease and loan agreements, and also temporarily freeze such projects as the construction of the Belene nuclear power plant and the South Stream gas pipeline project, the paper reported.

The letter skips the Nabucco project and Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline.

Vedomosti newspaper cites a statement of Economy and Energy Minister Petar Dimitrov, as reported by Novnite.com, that "life in Bulgaria will not stop simply because the new government is yet not formed."

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