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RF delegation goes to Serbia over Belene nuke power plant project

Serbia demonstrated interest in participating in the construction of the power plant and stated its readiness to buy up to ten percent of shares in the project

BELGRADE, February 1 (Itar-Tass) — A delegation of Russia’s Rosatom State Corporation led by Deputy Director General Kirill Komarov begins on Wednesday a visit to Serbia to discuss topical issues of bilateral cooperation, in particular Serbia’s participation in the construction of the Belene nuclear power plant in Bulgaria, sources from the Russian Embassy to the Serb Republic told Tass.

The delegation will meet with Serbia’s Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Milutin Mrkonjic, prime minister’s adviser Mirko Cvetkovic, former Energy Minister Petar Skundric as well as State Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy Dusan Mrakic.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on January 12 that the fate of the Russian project to build the nuclear power plant in Belene will be decided “within the next three weeks.” The project will either get a green light or will be scrapped.

“The project will be either approved or will be scrapped on the basis of the assessment of its efficiency, price and safety,” the Bulgarian prime minister said.

In 2005, Russia’s Atomstroiexport won a tender to build the Belene nuclear power plant in Bulgaria. On November 29, 2006, the Bulgarian National Electric Company and Atomstroiexport signed an agreement on the construction of the power plant, which was extended for three months - till September 30, early in July 2011. On September 30, the sides signed a new agreement on the extension of talks on the construction of the power plant till March 31, 2012.

Serbia demonstrated interest in participating in the construction of the power plant and stated its readiness to buy up to ten percent of shares in the project.

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

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