Bulgaria's GERB: Energy Watchdog Must Be Elected by Parliament

Business » ENERGY | May 22, 2013, Wednesday // 13:39
Bulgaria: Bulgaria's GERB: Energy Watchdog Must Be Elected by Parliament Delyan Dobrev (R), former Energy Minister, and Ivaylo Moskovski (L), former Transport Minister, announced Wednesday that the bill had already been tabled with the Parliament's clerk office. Photo by BGNES

Center-right party Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) has proposed amendments to the Energy Act stipulating that the panel of the State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR) should be appointed by Parliament with a 2/3 majority and not by government.

Delyan Dobrev, former Energy Minister, and Ivaylo Moskovski, former Transport Minister, announced Wednesday that the bill had already been tabled with the Parliament's clerk office.

Dobrev, as cited by the Focus news agency, made clear that the bill envisaged an obligation for the watchdog to conduct annual audits at all companies along the electricity price-formation chain.

He added that GERB's proposal also envisaged audits by the National Audit Office, the Public Financial Inspection Agency (PFIA), the Commission for Protection of Competition, and the Commission on Consumer Protection.

Dobrev reminded that the proposals had been discussed by the 41st National Assembly and had enjoyed the support of all parliamentary groups, voicing hopes that the MPs from the 42nd National Assembly would take the same stance.

"A PFIA report from February 9, 2013 indicated numerous violations at one of the three power distributors operating in the country, CEZ, concerning the assignment of public procurement contracts for large sums of money without holding tenders. Back then we explained that the control function of DKEVR had to be strengthened and that the watchdog needed a staff reshuffle and mandatory audits on an annual basis, instead of a 5-year basis," GERB MP and former Economy and Energy Minister Dobrev noted.

Moskovski noted that GERB's proposal showed consistency and a constructive attitude towards the matter, which had cause people to take to the streets in February.

Bulgaria's center-right GERB government resigned collectively in late February amid a series of mass protests against corruption, poverty, and high electricity and heating bills.

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Tags: GERB, DKEVR, State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation, power distributors, Delyan Dobrev, Ivaylo Moskovski, GERB government, CEZ

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