Bulgaria may decide to list minority stakes in its state gas and power monopolies on its bourse at the start of the 2008, Economy and Energy Minister Petar Dimitrov said on September 26 2007.

Dimitrov said the Government would not consider full privatisation of gas monopoly Bulgargaz and power utility National Electric Company (NEC). He said they wanted to protect consumers and ensure that domestic energy prices would remain low, Reuters UK said.

"We have been discussing the creation of a joint energy holding, a minority stake in which would be listed on the bourse," the minister told Reuters in an interview.

"It could be done in the beginning of next year. The strategy is ready. If there is a political will it will be implemented," he added.

European Commission wants to open markets for more competition and force energy utilities to separate energy generation from transmission networks. The Bulgarian plan to put the monopolists in one company would go against this.

The proposed combination into a joint holding company followed a wave of consolidation in Western Europe, Dimitrov told Reuters.

"All energy giants in Europe move towards consolidation. We have no reasons to be happy with small energy companies," he said.

The two Bulgarian companies were small players on the European market but were expected to attract strong investor interest, Reuters said.