Slovak PM attacks EU forced shutdown of Soviet designed nuclear reactor

(JASLOVSKE BOHUNICE) - ATTENTION -industry minister quotes, PM call for early reactor decisions ///

Slovakia's leftist premier Robert Fico attacked the EU forced shutdown of a "safe" Soviet-designed nuclear reactor which supplies a large part of the country's electricity at a ceremony to mark the event on Sunday.

The commitment to close the reactor, together with another unit at the Jaslovske Bohunice site in West Slovakia, "satisfied everyone with the exception of Slovakia," Fico said, adding that both units were safe and could have continued to operate.

"I consider this day a black day for the Slovak energy sector" added industry minister Lubomir Jahnatek, who also attended the ceremony. "Force and stupidy have overcome reason," he added.

A closure of the reactors was a condition for the central European country's 2004 EU entry after they were deemed a safety risk by Brussels. The second reactor should cease operations before the end of 2008 under the terms of the agreement.

Bratislava has sought without success to persuade Brussels to push back the shutdown date for the two reactors.

The first 440 MW reactor, which accounts for around nine percent of the country's electricity needs, should cease supplying the grid from around 7:00 pm (1800 GMT) on Sunday.

The move will make Slovakia into a net electricity importer and increases pressure on the government, which has made energy security one of its main priorities since sweeping to power following June elections.

Fico is seeking a fast commitment from the country's main power company, Slovenske Elektrarne (SE) to invest billions of euros to complete two mothballed nuclear reactors.

SE, 66 percent owned by Italian power giant Enel, has set an end of April deadline for a decision on whether to go ahead with the massive Mochovce investment. Fico called Sunday for the company to give a clear signal of its intentions by the end of February.

Fico has previously promised to smooth the path for the massive investment but has attacked the terms of the privatisation agreed by the previous centre-right coalition, and SE's high power prices.

Power prices are one of the main factors stoking inflation in the booming central European economy, which recorded 9.8 percent growth in the third quarter of this year. High inflation threatens to derail plans for an adoption of the euro in January 2009.

The Jaslovske Bohunice site also comprises two more recent nuclear reactors which should continue to producing power beyond 2010.