Bulgaria and Romania agree on air defence of nuclear plant

SOFIA (AFP) Mar 23, 2004
Bulgaria and Romania has agreed that Bulgaria could fire on aircraft in its neighbour's airspace if they threatened its nuclear plant at Kozloduy, Bulgarian Defence Minister Nikolai Svinarov said Tuesday.

The nuclear plant, which provides almost half of Bulgaria's electricity, is situated on the Danube river on the border with Romania.

Svinarov said the two countries will work out a formal accord allowing Bulgaria "to shoot down civilian aircraft who stray from their authorised route towards the plant."

He was speaking after a visit to Bucharest where he held talks with Romanian Defence Minister Yoan Pascu on border security between the two states who both hope to join the European Union in 2007.

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