Bulgaria will close the third and fourth blocks of Kozloduy nuclear power plant (NPP), Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin said in Brussels.

On November 13 the European Commission said that it was going to be firm on the closure dates for the two reactors. In a report European Parliament (EP) rapporteur for Bulgaria Geoffrey Van Orden called for flexible approach concerning the closure dates.

The EP lacked the authority to suggest any course of action to the EC, Kalfin said. Bulgaria was going to proceed with the reactor closure as previously agreed, he told Bulgarian National Television.

Bulgaria refrained from taking part in several electricity export tenders for Balkan countries because of the upcoming reactor shut down, said Kalfin.

Previously Economy and Energy Minister Roumen Ovcharov sent a warning letter to the EC, saying that the closure of the reactors could lead to electricity shortage on the Balkans.

Bulgaria is among the major electricity exporters in the region and provides export to meet significant part of the energy needs of its neighbouring countries. To meet domestic needs it now had to limit export, said Ovcharov.

Despite the fact the country was going to meet EU engagements accepted previously and was going to proceed with the closure of the units by the end of the year, Ovcharov said.