Bulgaria has committed to reducing its carbon dioxide emissions by 40% by 2026 as per its agreement in Brussels. However, according to ARTE’s report on Bulgaria’s tough separation from coal mining, no government has had the courage to tell the people they need to retrain, instead blaming Brussels.
“Slowly but surely, Bulgaria is making a transition,” ARTE noted, particularly in the energy sector. For years, the country generated its electricity primarily from coal, but today it increasingly relies on nuclear power. In 2009, half of the electricity came from thermal power plants and 35% from nuclear power. By 2023, coal’s share dropped to less than 30%, while nuclear energy rose to 40%.
Bulgaria’s plan to cut CO2 emissions by 40% by 2026
The European Union and the Green Deal are seen as threats. Bulgaria’s commitment to reducing CO2 emissions by 40% by 2026 is nearly impossible to achieve, ARTE reports, due to the country’s heavy reliance on coal, especially in regions like Pernik, Kyustendil, and Stara Zagora.
ARTE’s reporter visited the “Maritsa Iztok” mine complex, scheduled for closure. The decision to close the mines and power plants near Stara Zagora has caused anger and confusion among locals. Nearly 10,000 jobs are at risk.
The region is upset. ARTE recalls last year’s protests by miners and energy workers that blocked major roads in Bulgaria. The government promised nearly 500 million euros in investments to save jobs, effectively subsidizing the coal industry. While this calmed some of the anger, anxiety remains.
The report includes an interview with Martin Gospodinov, a mechanic at the “Troyanovo Sever” mine for 13 years. Gospodinov was the only one willing to speak on record, with ARTE explaining that many believe the EU mandated the plant closures and view the Green Deal negatively.
Gospodinov, like many others, thinks the region is not ready for the energy transition and is too dependent on coal. He hopes the Green Deal can be renegotiated, noting that nearly every second person in the region is connected to the coal industry.
Bulgarian politicians are to blame
Local politicians are also blamed. Mayor Zhivko Todorov argues that Bulgarian politicians, not Brussels, are at fault. He says no government has prepared the people for the necessary retraining, instead blaming Brussels.
“People are angry because the state hasn’t explained what the ecological transition will look like,” Todorov tells ARTE. Bulgaria is losing money by delaying necessary decisions on coal mining, Fanny Lepine notes. Currently, €1.5 billion from the Recovery and Resilience Plan is blocked until the government presents a convincing plan to close the coal industry.
“When you talk to people in Stara Zagora and the region, 95% of them do not see climate change as a real threat,” says eco-expert Georgi Stefanov. “They see coal resources as a national treasure, which is true. But no one tells them that more than 15,000 people die each year in Bulgaria due to polluted air, and 3,000 die from burning coal,” he emphasizes.
Difficult political situation
The political situation is also challenging. “In Bulgaria, governments have recently failed one after another,” says Lepine. “The country currently does not have a regular government,” making it very difficult to implement unpopular measures that will bind the country for years to come.
