site.btaRadan Kanev Warns of Backstage Deal for New Composition of Anti-Trust Commission

Radan Kanev Warns of Backstage Deal for New Composition of Anti-Trust Commission

Sofia, March 7 (BTA) - Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) leader Radan Kanev warned Monday of a looming backstage deal for the new composition of the Commission for the Protection of Competition (CPC). "Neither DSB nor the Reformist Bloc will make nominations in this vicious procedure," Kanev said.

He explained that the founding documents for the Reformist Bloc, which includes his DSB, exclude participation in backstage deals and intransparent office distribution.

DSB is also opposed to giving the CPC competences in respect to public procurement and a new law on public procurements - which the RB did not support - and which gives the CPC chairperson additional powers in the field of public procurements, Kanev explained.

DSB also urged Prime Minister Boyko Borissov to stop a controversial procedure for awarding a contract for waste collection and cleaning in the Black Sea city of Varna. According to Kanev, the procedure lacks transparency and the competent authorities must probe the contracting authority and the competition commission, and look into changes in its composition during the course of the selection procedure. The role of the CPC in pushing through this controversial procedure must also be checked, he said.

The contract was won by two companies without competition and at prices which considerably exceeded the prices offered by the other bidders. This will cause deteriment to over 400,000 Varna residents, tourists and taxpayers, the DSB leader argued.