Lobbying circles in Bulgaria and Europe are exerting enormous pressure on Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov over the auditing of power utilities, in Borisov's own words.

Borisov gave a news conference Sunday together with the head of the State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR) Angel Semerdzhiev, presenting the preliminary findings of the audit report of the three power utilities – Czech company CEZ, German E.ON and Austrian EVN – that he commissioned in April over allegations of excessive electricity prices and other violations.

(More about the findings and consequences of the audit report read HERE and HERE)

“What we are doing right now will get us in a lot of trouble. Enormous lobbying circles are exerting huge pressure on me and the government – there are articles in Western media, statements by Ambassadors whom I respect very much that are telling us that new democracies have to learn their lessons. I think that I have learned my lesson from Chancellor Angela Merkel that nothing has to be hidden from society. That is why the State Commission must keep no secrets,” Borisov declared.

He explained that some parts of the audit report will be provided to the National Revenue Agency which will inspect the taxes of the power utilities.

“Many of the contracts contain no dates and deadlines and perhaps we will refer them to the Prosecutor's Office because there are violations of tax legislation. There is an enormous pressure, and in order to relieve it from the Commission regulating the utilities, I am present at today's press conference,” explained the PM.

He believes that the DKEVR has systematically failed to do its job properly. He pointed out that his government replaced only one of the DKEVR members – its chair Angel Semerdzhiev - and praised Semerdzhiev for working hard to prepare the audit report.

“So I am being portrayed as a man who wants to scare away foreign investors. What we really want is to have the State Commission regulate the activities of these companies in such a way that they are just with respect to the Bulgarian citizens. If you check, you will find that half of the members of the DKEVR are in one way or another connected with some of the power utilities. I am ready to face the European Commission in a conversation over this matter, and I am sure that there will be such a conversation but we will remain firm till the very end,” declared Borisov pointing out that a number of media publications in the past ten days have sought to influence the people in favor of the utilities.

The Prime Minister commissioned the audit report of CEZ, EVN, and E.ON in April over allegations that the electricity prices in Bulgaria were excessive high for the end consumers, while the production prices were much lower.

Borisov has repeatedly slammed the three companies for failing to work in Bulgaria in accordance with the standards of their home countries. He has subsequently been criticized by a number of Western media including a biting article in Financial Times Deutschland.

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