Sakova: Nuclear Energy Must Receive Strong Support in EU Legislation

Bratislava, November 7 (TASR) - Nuclear energy must receive strong support in the European legislation, Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) stated at a press briefing after her meeting with French Minister for Energy Transition Agnes Pannier-Runacher on Tuesday. The bilateral talks were held on the sidelines of a meeting of the Nuclear Alliance in Bratislava. "Today, we discussed two items at the meeting of the Nuclear Alliance. The first one was the financing of the development of nuclear energy and the second the development of a qualified labour force. Regarding the first item, we discussed individual options and concurred that nuclear energy must receive strong standing in the EU legislation. Together with individual Alliance members, we will push the new European Commission into giving nuclear energy its proper place in future directives. That will send the banking sector a signal that this policy is acceptable also for the European Commission," claimed Sakova, adding that the greatest problem with the nuclear energy is the financing provided by banks. Slovakia's and France's positions on nuclear energy are quite similar, pointed out Pannier-Runacher. "We're two countries that find nuclear energy rather important and view it as one of the many decarbonisation solutions," she underlined. On Tuesday, ministers of the Nuclear Alliance met for the fourth time in Bratislava, in the presence of the Eurocommissioner for Energy Kadri Simson. The meeting was held on the occasion of the European Nuclear Energy Forum and attended by representatives of the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Belgium, Romania, the Netherlands, Croatia, France, Hungary, Bulgaria, Finland, Sweden, Great Britain and Slovakia. mf/mcs