May 9 (SeeNews) - Bulgaria's competition regulator said on Thursday it has imposed a 1.7 million lev ($1.1 million/870,000 euro) fine on local power supply company Energo-Pro Sales [BUL:4ES] for abuse of a dominant position.
Regulatory checks established that Energo-Pro Sales has abused its dominant position on the local market last year by stopping the power supply to the water utility in the northeastern town of Dobrich, the Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) said in a statement.
The Commission found that the water utility has taken concrete actions to pay back its debt under deferred payments and Energo-Pro Sales should have taken into account the client’s efforts to fulfil its commitments.
CPC considers that Energo-Pro Sales has used its dominant position to limit the business activity of the water utility and as a consequence has deprived Dobrich citizens from drinking water supply.
Energo-Pro Sales and Energo Pro Grid are majority-owned by electricity supplier for northeastern Bulgaria Energo-Pro Bulgaria, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Czech power group Energo-Pro.
(1 euro=1.95583 Bulgarian levs)