CEZ Bulgaria Calls for Eradication of Monopoly Model from Entire Supply Chain

Czech energy company CEZ has issued a media statement, saying that it finds the launch of a procedure for the withdrawal of licenses of its two subsidiaries, CEZ Elektro Bulgaria AD and CEZ Razpredelenie Bulgaria AD unfounded.

"We will do everything necessary within the statutory deadline and provisions to prove that there are no grounds for such actions. We have always observed all laws of the country and will continue to do so. We would like to continue working, improving customer service, and providing quality electricity supply to the people in western Bulgaria," says a letter signed by Petr Dokladal, CEZ Regional Manager for Bulgaria.

"We would like to continue working with municipalities to improve communication with customers and to be closer to people's problems. We understand our responsibility and we are open to dialogue in the interest of social consensus" the statement says.

Dokladal argues that Bulgaria is the only EU country which still lacks a functioning liberalized energy market.

He claims that the right path to achieving substantially better terms of electricity supply includes the opening up of the market and the eradication of the monopoly model all along the chain.

Dokladal notes that this will allow people to choose their supplier by what the company offers and will be free to switch to another one if they are dissatisfied with the service.

"This is the best method of regulation," he adds.

He emphasizes that prices must be formed in an absolutely transparent and clear manner so that the people know what they are paying for, who they are paying, how prices are formed, and who is in charge of their calculation.

"This will help avoid speculations which create tension and insecurity," the Regional Manager of CEZ for Bulgaria states.

Dokladal suggests that the public must be guaranteed legitimate participation in the price formation process so that the people stay informed and the relations with the supplier are legal and fair and beneficial for them.

"All that we are doing is transparent and clear because it involves electricity supplies to households, business and institutions in western Bulgaria," he adds, as cited by the Focus news agency.

Angry Bulgarians, who have been staging mass protests over high electricity and heating bills for the past two weeks in major cities in the country, have called for various steps to remedy the problem, starting from the withdrawal of licenses of power distributors, to the nationalization of the three electricity suppliers functioning in the country.