EC to Take Action against Bulgaria over South Stream Agreement

Jos? Manuel Dur?o Barroso, President of the European Commission, photo by bnr.bg

EC President Barroso has told Prime Minister Oresharski that the EC will take action against Bulgaria due to non-observance of EU rules in the South Stream agreements.

Barroso came up with the statement despite assurances on the part of the Bulgarian Prime Minister that the country would comply with the recommendations of the EC on the Energy Act amendments, according to reports of the Bulgarian National Radio.

The Energy Act changes concern the application of EU law on the local South Stream pipeline section.

Barroso announced that he had told heads of state and governments that the EC found that some of the agreements on the South Stream gas pipeline which had already been signed or were being negotiated ran against EU rules and the EC would take the necessary steps to remedy the situation.

He reiterated the stance at a meeting with Plamen Oresharski.

"We have to guarantee that internal market provisions are observed because we believe that in this case we are exposing the energy security of Bulgaria and the EU to risk," Barroso said, stressing that the EC had been following the situation in Bulgaria for months and was fully aware of it.

Barroso underscored that the EC would respond to any breaches of internal market provisions, adding that the agreements Bulgaria had reached or signed were a case in point.

He noted that it was essential for the European Union to be united on the matter of energy security.

The informal sitting of the European Council on May 27 was devoted to the nominees for a new President of the EC.

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