Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Power system’s cold reserve causes row in parliament

Ramadan Atalay
Photo: BGNES

With 105 votes “for”, 12 “against” and none abstained, the National Assembly voted for the financing of electric energy from the so-called “cold reserve” to be paid, when the need arises, only to the state-owned company Maritsa Iztok-2 thermal power plant.

The biggest sums for the cold reserve have so far been paid out to “Varna” thermal power plant, which is owned by the honourary chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, MRF, Ahmed Dogan, and to the thermal power stations Bobovdol and Maritsa-3.

In a strong response to the decision on behalf of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, Ramadan Atalay, MRF MP stated that the next member of the cabinet to be dismissed will be Minister of Energy Temenuzhka Petkova. In the words of Ramadan Atalay the decision is in violation of the principle in power generation, set down in 20013, of determining who manages the cold reserve by tender. He added that the legislative changes are being made not on the basis of any rational principle, but on the basis of party hatred.

Valentin Nikolov from GERB party admitted that the decision was political. 



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Light rainfall is possible in southern Bulgaria, warming continues

On Thursday, minimum temperatures will range between 6 and 11°C across the country. Along the Black Sea coast, they will reach 13 to 16°C , while in Sofia they will drop to around 7°C. In the morning, visibility will be reduced in some low-lying areas..

published on 10/22/25 7:05 PM
Valérie Hayer

Renew Europe calls on the European Commission to urgently send a mission to Bulgaria

The President of the “Renew Europe” group in the European Parliament, Valérie Hayer, called on the European Commission to urgently send a mission to Bulgaria to assess the rule of law situation and to freeze all payments under the Recovery and..

published on 10/22/25 6:12 PM

Young doctors to receive long-awaited pay rise

“At coalition level, we have decided to meet the demands of young doctors regarding salary levels,” said Kostadin Angelov, chair of the parliamentary health committee, at a meeting of the panel, as reported by BNR's Mila Mladenova. Young doctors..

published on 10/22/25 4:55 PM