Bulgarian anti-trust body fines CEZ unit for abusing dominant position

Bulgaria’s competition regulator said it has imposed a fine of 288,000 levs ($177,339/147,252 euro) to the local power distribution unit of Czech electricity group CEZ for abuse of its dominant position on the market.

The Commission for Protection of Competition said in a statement on Thursday it found that CEZ Distribution Bulgaria [BUL:3CZ] has imposed unfair trading conditions on its customers, producers of electricity from hydro power plants (HPPs), in order to achieve financial benefits.

The regulator’s decision can be challenged before the Supreme Administrative Court within 14 days of its publication.

In December, the competition authority said it fined CEZ's two local units - CEZ Electro Bulgaria [BUL:1CZ] and CEZ Distribution Bulgaria [BUL:3CZ], a total of 2.2 million levs.

The fines were imposed because the companies were implementing common strategies and practices discriminating against independent traders and restricting trade in electricity at freely negotiated prices.

(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)

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