Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev and Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš have agreed to establish a joint working group on energy with a specific focus on small modular reactors (SMRs). The agreement was reached during an official visit by Babiš to Sofia, following a preliminary meeting held in July at the NATO summit in Ankara, Türkiye.
“We agreed to establish a joint working group to foster mutually beneficial cooperation in this area, which is of paramount importance for the future of our energy systems and industries,” Radev told a press conference after the talks.
The joint working group will explore mutually beneficial nuclear projects. Prime Minister Radev commended Czechia’s proactive early steps regarding SMRs, aiming to leverage that progress for the energy systems of both countries. Bulgaria offered to assist Czechia and other Central and Eastern European nations in diversifying their energy resources.
Radev highlighted Bulgaria’s free access to liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals across Greece and Turkey, which could help secure reliable gas flows for partners through reserved capacity. “We have unrestricted access, under clear agreements, to the two Greek terminals and the five Turkish terminals for liquefied natural gas, and we can, at any time, through reserved capacities, help our partners and friends ensure reliable natural gas supplies – and this is just the beginning,” he said.
Radev commended Czechia for taking the first important steps toward projects involving SMRs. “Prime Minister Babiš led the effort to ensure that nuclear energy became eligible for state aid and EU funding and was placed on an equal footing with other green and renewable energy sources,” he said.
Both leaders reaffirmed that affordable, stable nuclear energy must be treated on an equal footing with other green renewable energy sources across the European Union (EU). Beyond direct cooperation, Babiš and Radev called for an immediate review of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), explicitly demanding a revision and postponement of ETS2 to protect regional industrial security and shield citizens from economic crises.
