OREANDA-NEWS. January 15, 2007. An agreement for establishing a company for supervising the construction of Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline and a contract for the construction of Belene Nuclear Power Plants are supposed to be signed during the visit of President of Russia Vladimir Putin to Bulgaria on Jan 17–18 2008, says Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

“As regards documents (to be signed) I would like to point out the agreement for the building of Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline (a project involving Bulgaria, Russia and Greece) and the contract for the construction of Belene NPP,” Lavrov said during the Monday meeting of the President with the Cabinet.

Russian Atomstroyexport won the right to build Belene NPP on Oct 31 2006. The company is to build two WWER-1000 reactors. The cost of the project is 3.997bln EUR.

“Besides, we are planning to sign an agreement between the transport ministries for the construction of Port Kavkaz-Varna train ferry. This ferry is supposed to simplify cargo transportation from Russia to Bulgaria,” Lavrov said.

The sides are also expected to sign a program of cultural cooperation and an agreement for cooperation in the field of tourism. A draft of the agreement for cultural cooperation has already been submitted to the Government. 

Lavrov said that the preparations for the visit were being carried out according to the schedule. “I think we will have time for drafting 1–2 more documents,” Lavrov said.

During the visit Putin is to take part in the celebrations of the 130th anniversary of the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke.

“The agenda of the visit also includes the opening of the Year of Russia in Bulgaria,” Lavrov said.