site.btaBulgaria Not Interested in Participating in Procedure for Sale of CEZ Assets Here - Energy Minister

Sofia, February 22 (BTA) - For the time being the State of Bulgaria is not interested in participating in the procedure for the sale of the assets of the CEZ-Bulgaria electricity distribution company which serves customers in Western Bulgaria, Energy Minister Temenouzhka Petkova said Thursday, answering an MP's question during a meeting of the parliamentary Energy Committee.

Petkova said that that many companies, most of them Bulgarian, took part in the bidding procedure for the sale of CEZ's business. She noted that the sale procedure is held under the law of the Czech Republic and the terms and conditions are set by the Czech side solely.

Petkova said that in Bulgaria CEZ owns some of the most serious and significant assets, so that this country is not indifferent to who will acquire them.

The Energy Minister recalled that for a sale to take place, approvals are needed from the Commission for the Protection of Competition, the Financial Supervision Commission and the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission.

Petkova stressed that irrespective who will buy CEZ's business in Bulgaria, the important thing is to ensure the security and quality of power supply.