site.btaProsecutor General Wants Delyan Dobrev MP to Face Charges in Connection with Belene N-Plant Project

Prosecutor General Wants Delyan Dobrev MP to Face Charges in Connection with Belene N-Plant Project

Sofia, October 24 (BTA) - Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov asked the National Assembly to strip Energy Committee Chairman Delyan Dobrev of immunity in order to face mismanagement charges in connection with the abandoned Belene nuclear power plant project, the Prosecution of Bulgaria reported on Monday. Dobrev is suspected of causing the National Electric Company (NEK) to lose 4,561,697 euro by failing to ensure, in his former capacity as Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, the termination of NEK's contract with Parsons E&C Europe Limited (a member of the WorleyParsons Group) for the construction of a second Bulgarian nuclear power plant at Belene.

The prosecution recalled that the contract was signed on January 31, 2005 for work which was to be carried out in two phases. The first phase involved choosing a contractor to build the Belene N-plant and preparing the relevant agreement. The second phase involved designing, building and putting the future plant into operation. Although the National Assembly scrapped the Belene N-plant project on March 29, 2012, the contract with Parsons E&C Europe was not terminated. NEK continued to make payments under the contract and the amount paid since the above-mentioned date is 4,561,697 euro.

Dobrev, who was Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism at the time, was aware of the situation, but failed to ensure the termination of NEK's contract with Parsons E&C Europe. He did not take action despite a letter from NEK's executive director, who drew the Minister's attention to the matter. Dobrev's conduct amounted to a failure to organize and control the implementation of the government's energy policy in accordance with the decisions of the Council of Ministers and the National Assembly.

Later on Monday, the ruling GERB party's press office said that Dobrev will consent in writing to be stripped of immunity in order to be criminally prosecuted.