Bulgaria's Supreme Administrative Court has confirmed the decision of the Competition Protection Commission to fine the Austrian utility EVN for an alleged abuse of its dominant position on the electricity market.

In 2009, the Commission has established that one citizen's electric meter with a mechanism for an automatic protection has repeatedly interrupted the power for 1 hour after the appliance registers load over the threshold.

EVN has refused to correct, even from a distance, the duration of the interruption with the argument that this would decrease the life of the electric meter.

The Commission has decided to fine the company because it does not follow the consumers' interests.

The Supreme Administrative Court ruled Tuesday that the decision of the Competition Protection Commission was right and lawful, and imposed a BGN 150 000 fine on the Austrian utility.

According to the ruling, all physical and legal entities, who have suffered a damage, even if the violation has not been directed against them, are entitled to submit claims for compensation under the Civil Procedure Code.

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