The European Commission received letters of complaint about the suspending of supplies from the Russian monopolist Gazprom for the private Bulgarian distributor Overgas, Euroactiv informs quoting an EC source. In two letters to the Commission Overgas claims that the stopping of gas supplies under a valid contract, with no warning, is abuse on the part of Gazprom with is monopolist position on the Bulgarian market and that would seriously affect competitiveness. According to Overgas this act violates European directives. We suspect that the coincidence of interests between the Bulgarian Energy Holding and Gazprom is politically motivated by the will to reanimate the South Stream project in the context of the current relations between Russia and Turkey, Overgas CEO Sasho Donchev said for Euroactiv. The EC has launched investigation procedures against Gazprom for misuse of its market power in five European countries, Bulgaria included, where the Russian supplier enjoys market portions of 50 to 100 percent. The possible resolution of abuse could cost Gazprom a fine to the tune of 10% of its entire trade turnover.
