European industry has been forsaken, according to Bulgarian Minister of Economy and Energy Dragomir Stoynev.

"Since the beginning of the financial crisis, the EU has been pouring money into bailing out the banking sector, but no funding was allocated for the rescue of European industry," Minister Stoynev said at the "Reindustrialization through Competitiveness" discussion Wednesday in Bulgaria's capital city Sofia.

A debate for the reindustrialization of Europe has been broached and Bulgaria is part of it, Stoynev noted.

"We would like to start working on Kozloduy NPP in 2016," said Minister of Economy but stressed that the state companies Kozloduy NPP and Maritsa East 2 TPP want to renegotiate their contracts.

"Bulgaria must develop its nuclear energy, still the problem is that Kozloduy NPP infrastructure has not been renovated in nearly 4 years."

Minister Stoynev was categorical that Bulgaria should protect its national interests in the EU.

The main topics discussed at the "Reindustrialization through Competitiveness" round table will be the effect of the European energy policy on industrial stability and competitiveness in Bulgaria, the improvement of business environment, the reduction of administrative burden, Focus News Agency informed.

The round table is organized by the Bulgarian Federation of Industrial Energy Consumers (BFIEC), the Bulgarian Association of Metallurgical Industry (BAMI) and others.