Bulgaria’s Anti-Monopoly Commission Fines Electricity Distributors CEZ, AVN 6m

Bulgaria’s Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) imposed fines worth 6 milion BGN to the electricity distribution companies CEZ and EVN , CPC said on 21^st of December. The reason for the sanctions is that according to the anti-monopoly commission the two companies the two companies have prevented small and medium-sized companies from entering the free electricity market.

The fine imposed to EVN is to the amount of 3 million BGN and CEZ was fined 2 million BGN.

The electricity market has been liberalized since 2007 in theory, but in reality companies have been able to buy energy by choosing their own supplier only since last year. At that time, plans were developed to allow easier adaptation to the free market. The free market price last year was lower than the price at the regulated one.