26 Oct 2016 15:17

Russia, Bulgaria sign debt settlement agreement on Belene NPP; ASE may drop interest claims

SOFIA. Oct 26 (Interfax) - Russia's Atomstroyexport (ASE) and Bulgaria's Natsionalna Elektricheska Kompania (NEK) signed an agreement on Bulgaria's payment of the debt for the Belene nuclear power plant, Rosatom said in a statement.

NEK has already made the first payment of 5 million euro.

Atomstroyexport may drop claims on interest payments on the debt principal if Bulgaria repays it before December 15, the statement said. Accumulated interest as of that date might total 23.8 million euro.

Also on Wednesday, the Bulgarian government approved a draft agreement with ASE on withdrawing claims and authorized the Finance Ministry to conduct negotiations on this issue, the government said on its website.