Bulgaria had to negotiate the provision of higher financial compensation by 2013 for the closure of Kozloduy nuclear power plant (NPP) units, Belgian ambassador to Bulgaria Philippe Beke said.

European Union (EU) had already paid Bulgaria 210 million euro of compensation for the unit closure, Beke told Radio France Internationale (RFI).

Bulgaria had to shut down units three and four of its NPP as a pre-condition for the country's EU accession, RFI said. The reactors were closed on December 31 2006. Bulgaria joined the EU on January 1 2007.

Discussion on the fate of the two units is on ever since. Bulgaria was seeking ways to re-open the units, RFI said.

Beke agreed with the suggestion of former Bulgarian energy minister Milko Kovachev to invite again German and Dutch experts who had already prepared a report on the NPP safety for the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Bulgaria could also invite European Commission experts to examine the NPP, Beke said.

Belgium and France's stand on the case was that Bulgaria had to close Kozloduy and to receive bigger compensation, like in the case of  Lithuanian Igalina NPP, Beke said.