Bulgaria may consider purchasing Ukrainian electricity

KYIV. April 25 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister Asen Vasilev has expressed readiness to include consideration of the purchase of electricity produced by Ukraine to the government’s agenda, Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said on Facebook on Sunday after a meeting in Washington.

Commenting on various bilateral negotiations within the framework of the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, Marchenko said that Ukraine had recently joined the European power network ENTSO-E, thanks to which the electricity produced in Ukraine can be sold on the European market.

"I discussed this possibility with all my European colleagues," the Ukrainian minister said.

In addition, at a meeting with Director of the General Directorate of the Treasury of France Emmanuel Moulin, Marchenko offered to join promoting the possibility of introducing an additional tax on the import of Russian energy in the G7 states and in other countries.

The minister of finance of Ukraine also thanked France for providing a loan of EUR 300 million on favorable terms and leadership in the sanctions area: the French Treasury was one of the first to initiate the freezing of assets of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.

In addition, Marchenko met with Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation Matilda Ernkrans, from whom he also received commitments to support Ukraine. "In response to our request, Sweden is ready to intensify work with UN structures on the issue of centralized work with the Ukrainian government on humanitarian assistance for our citizens," Marchenko said.