August 6 (SeeNews) - Bulgaria's competition regulator said it has declined to open proceedings in relation to a complaint of Turkey-based Ambulans Ilk Ilkyardim ve Hastane Cihazlari ve Tesileri Sanayi Tic against the Bulgarian health ministry's tender for supply of 400 ambulances.
The regulator took its decision on August 2, data from its website shows.
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The Turkish company submitted its complaint on July 24, asking for temporary suspension of the tender until the antitrust authority issues its final ruling.
In its complaint, the company objected to the ministry's decision on July 9 to extend the deadline for submitting offers to August 10. The health ministry was forced to extend the deadline of the tender because it was previously suspended due to complaints filed with the competition regulator.
The tender, opened in March, has an estimated value of 48.7 million levs ($29.1 million/24.9 million euro). It is part of a large investment project, aimed at modernising Bulgaria's emergency medical services. The tender is divided into four lots, envisaging the supply of different types of ambulances.
The contracts will be partially financed from EU funds under the operational programme Regions in Growth 2014-2020.
(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)