'Slovaka' Party Criticises Nuclear Deal with US, Fears of Extreme Debt Growth

Bratislava, 17 January (TASR) - The opposition 'Slovakia' party has criticised the US-Slovak inter-governmental agreement on the civil nuclear energy cooperation, as it is concerned about an extreme growth in Slovakia's indebtedness in connection with the planned construction of a new nuclear power unit in Jaslovske Bohunice. "Let's imagine that I, as a premier, would dare to decide on my own to pay €15 billion from all of our money for the construction of a nuclear power plant without organising any tender on it. And let's be honest - it won't be 15 billion, but many times more," party leader Igor Matovic told a news conference on Saturday. The party is afraid that the cost of a new nuclear power unit might climb to €50 billion due to the contractual price, construction cost overrun, interest and risk surcharge. "Premier Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) photo with US President Donald Trump, which he longs for so desperately, will cost Slovakia €50 billion and will put the country in debt for generations," stated Matovic. Matovic thinks that Slovakia doesn't need a new nuclear power facility. He pointed out that once the fourth unit of Mochovce is put in operation, Slovakia will be one of the leaders in nuclear energy, exporting some 20 percent of the electricity generated already now. "So it is self-sufficient in terms of electricity," he said. U.S. Secretary of Energy Christopher A. Wright and Slovak Premier Fico signed an agreement to advance cooperation on Slovakia’s civil nuclear power programme in Washington on Friday (16 January). Fico said that Slovakia will be an exceptional country thanks to the agreement with the USA, since it will have experience with both Russian and US technologies in the field of civil nuclear energy. According to the premier, the agreement opens the door to negotiations on the supply of US nuclear technology to Slovakia with the aim of building and putting into operation in 2040-2041 a completely new nuclear power unit with an output of 1,200 MWh in premises of the current nuclear power station in Jaslovske Bohunice. ko