THE Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) this week announced it is to hold hearings in a court action against the decision of the supervisory board of the Privatisation Agency (PA) to sell a 70 per cent stake of Atomenergoremont to the Bulgarian Energy Company.
The first hearing will be by a three-judge panel of the SAC on September 15.
Atomenergoremont is responsible for the technical maintenance and construction of the Kozlodui nuclear power plant and thermo-electric power stations.
The case follows a complaint filed by the deputy chief prosecutor and head of the Supreme Administrative Prosecution (SAP), Tsoni Tsonev, against the PA decision.
The complaint was based on several alleged violations of a number of laws.
According to Tsonev, the PA violated the Privatisation and Post-privatisation Control Act, the Act on the Safe Use of Nuclear Energy, the Classified Information Act, as well as tender regulations.
In his motivation, Tsonev said that "from the actions of the supervisory board of the PA it is evident that it aimed at selling by all means the 70 per cent stake of Atomenergoremont to a particular bidder, disregarding the Privatisation Act in its part providing for transparency, economic efficiency, equality of investors and competitiveness and growth of the establishment on sale."
According to the prosecution, by allowing the sale of Atomenergoremont to the Bul-garian Energy Company, the PA disregarded the instructions of Energy Minister Milko Kovachev, and jeopardised the nuclear safety of Bulgaria and the rest of Europe.
Tsonev said that the PA had disregarded a demand by Kovachev that the buyer of the company have experience in the field.
According to allegations in the Bulgarian-language media, the Bulgarian Energy Company was connected to Konstantin "Samokovetsa" Dimitrov, who, according to the latest Interior Ministry report, was an organised crime figure.
The company has paid 15 630 000 leva and accepted a requirement that in the next five years it would invest a further 6 190 000 leva in Atomenergoremont.
The PA said the privatisation procedure was completed in strict observance of the Privatisation Act and the offers of the bidders were evaluated according to the criteria for price, investment and job openings, and the best offer had been selected.
The PA said that the court proceedings did not automatically mean the end of the deal.
- Business Staff
The first hearing will be by a three-judge panel of the SAC on September 15.
Atomenergoremont is responsible for the technical maintenance and construction of the Kozlodui nuclear power plant and thermo-electric power stations.
The case follows a complaint filed by the deputy chief prosecutor and head of the Supreme Administrative Prosecution (SAP), Tsoni Tsonev, against the PA decision.
The complaint was based on several alleged violations of a number of laws.
According to Tsonev, the PA violated the Privatisation and Post-privatisation Control Act, the Act on the Safe Use of Nuclear Energy, the Classified Information Act, as well as tender regulations.
In his motivation, Tsonev said that "from the actions of the supervisory board of the PA it is evident that it aimed at selling by all means the 70 per cent stake of Atomenergoremont to a particular bidder, disregarding the Privatisation Act in its part providing for transparency, economic efficiency, equality of investors and competitiveness and growth of the establishment on sale."
According to the prosecution, by allowing the sale of Atomenergoremont to the Bul-garian Energy Company, the PA disregarded the instructions of Energy Minister Milko Kovachev, and jeopardised the nuclear safety of Bulgaria and the rest of Europe.
Tsonev said that the PA had disregarded a demand by Kovachev that the buyer of the company have experience in the field.
According to allegations in the Bulgarian-language media, the Bulgarian Energy Company was connected to Konstantin "Samokovetsa" Dimitrov, who, according to the latest Interior Ministry report, was an organised crime figure.
The company has paid 15 630 000 leva and accepted a requirement that in the next five years it would invest a further 6 190 000 leva in Atomenergoremont.
The PA said the privatisation procedure was completed in strict observance of the Privatisation Act and the offers of the bidders were evaluated according to the criteria for price, investment and job openings, and the best offer had been selected.
The PA said that the court proceedings did not automatically mean the end of the deal.
- Business Staff
