Bulgaria to Announce New Energy Watchdog Head Next Week

The new chair of Bulgaria's State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation will be announced next week, Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister Delyan Dobrev stated Wednesday.

Dobrev told reporters that it was still unclear whether the new energy watchdog head would be a member of the current Commission, a lawmaker with the ruling centrist-right GERB party or somebody else.

The former chairman of the Commission, Angel Semerdzhiev, confirmed Tuesday that he had submitted his resignation.

On Monday, Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, announced he would be proposing to the Cabinet to dismiss Semerdzhiev.

In a press release, the Council of Ministers explained the dismissal is connected with the delay and lack of a number of administrative acts from the Electricity and Gas Directives, requested by the European Commission.

Delyan Dobrev blamed the State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation for the EC case against Bulgaria.