NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE OVER ENERGY SECTOR

The opposition party GERB filed a vote of no confidence in Parliament on 16th May over the government’s energy policy. The motion includes attachments with the motives and a draft for scheduling an extraordinary parliamentary sitting.

The motion accuses the government in lack of vision about the energy sector, intervention in the work of the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC), enormous indebtedness and low liquidity between the participants in the energy sector, and failure to conduct the ‘South Stream’ project in accordance with EU rules.

GERB’s motives included some of the arguments, which the non-parliamentary Reformist bloc presented in writing. GERB’s leader, Boyko Borisov, and Reformist bloc’s official spokesperson, Radan Kanev, met on 14th May. Kanev said that his party had obtained data alleging the Bulgarian Socialist Party's subordination to Russian energy company Gazprom on issues related to the construction of ‘South Stream’ gas pipeline.

Initially GERB intended to file the motion last week, but later explained a delay was needed, because the party waited to receive copies of official documents on the financial position of the state-owned National Electricity Company (NEC) and to enclose them as evidence.

Energy sector in Bulgaria has faced some issues in the past Months. NEC is believed to be in a state of technical default with debts still going up, but also the national regulator SEWRC and the electricity distribution companies (EDCs) were involved in a dispute which at a certain point was on the edge to end with revoking the licences of the EDCs.

On 14th May, SEWRC announced that the three EDCs operating in Bulgaria, CEZ, EVN and Energo-Pro, had committed nearly 2700 violations and were facing a potential fine of minimum 50 million BGN.

GERB insists the no-confidence vote to be discussed within the 7 days period since its submission, as provided for by the law. They explained they have separately submitted a draft for scheduling the extraordinary parliamentary sitting. GERB hopes that the ruling coalition will secure the required quorum so that the discussion will take place.

Lawmakers will have to convene for an extraordinary sitting although plenary sessions have been cancelled until the European elections day, 25th May.

This has been the fourth motion by the opposition since the socialist-led government took office in May 2013. It survived three previous no–confidence votes over the regional policy, the investment policy and the security sector regarding the influx of Syrian refugees.