The government of the country allowed the purchase of Russian steel for the nuclear power plant despite the current EU embargo.
Bulgaria permitted the import of steel from Russia by granting an exemption from the European Union’s sanctions regime. This concerns the purchase of iron and steel for the needs of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). This was reported by local media citing a government statement.
Despite EU sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, Bulgarian authorities allowed the signing of a state contract with Russian suppliers, citing technical necessity.
“Much of the NPP’s equipment is of Russian origin, so there is effectively no alternative to supplies from Russia,” the government stated.
Thus, Bulgaria officially acknowledges its technical dependence on Russian companies and its readiness to violate the pan-European pressure policy on the aggressor in order to maintain its own energy infrastructure.
This move raises concerns because such exemptions undermine EU unity in sanctions policy, creating dangerous precedents for other countries.
As of January–April 2025, Bulgaria produced 189.7 thousand tons of steel, which is 17.4% more compared to the same period in 2024.
