EN Official Journal of the European Union C 352/16

DECISION No 717

of 4 October 2010

opening a procedure for granting authorisation for the prospection and exploration of oil and natural gas, being underground natural resources as defined in Article 2(1)(3) of the Underground Natural Resources Act, in ‘Block 1 Novi Pazar’, located in Razgrad, Silistra, Dobrich, Shumen and Varna provinces, and announcing that authorisation will be granted on the basis of a competitive procedure

2010/C 352/15

REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

Pursuant to Article 5, subparagraph 2, Article 42(1)(1) and Article 44(3) of the Underground Natural Resources Act, in conjunction with Article 4(2)(16) and Section 1(24a) of the Energy Act,

THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A procedure shall be opened for granting authorisation for the prospection and exploration of crude oil and natural gas in ‘Block 1 Novi Pazar’, located in the provinces of Razgrad, Silistra, Dobrich, Shumen and Varna, covering an area of 4 398 km2 and delimited by coordinates 1 to 12, as specified in the Annex.

2. The authorisation referred to in point 1 shall be granted on the basis of a competitive procedure.

3. The authorisation period for prospection and exploration shall be set at five years from the date on which the prospection and exploration agreement enters into force, with a right to extend this period pursuant to Article 31(3) of the Underground Natural Resources Act.

4. The deadline for purchasing the competitive procedure dossier shall be 17.00 on the 120th day following the publication of this Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union.

5. The deadline for submitting applications to take part in the competitive procedure shall be 17.00 on the 130th day following the publication of this Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union.

6. The deadline for submitting bids in accordance with the competitive procedure dossier shall be 17.00 on the 144th day following the publication of this Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union.

7. Bidders shall not be present when bids are considered.

8. The price of the competitive procedure dossier shall be set at BGN 15 000. The dossier is to be purchased from Room 813 at the Ministry of the Economy, Energy and Tourism building at ul. Triaditsa 8, Sofia, BULGARIA, by the deadline specified in point 4.

9. Applicants wishing to take part in the competitive procedure must comply with the requirements of Article 23(1) of the Underground Natural Resources Act.

10. Applicants’ bids shall be evaluated on the basis of the proposed work programmes, resources devoted to environmental protection, bonuses, training, and managerial and financial capacities, as provided for in the competitive procedure dossier.

11. The deposit for participation in the competitive procedure shall be set at BGN 20 000, payable by the deadline specified in point 5 into the bank account of the Ministry of the Economy, Energy and Tourism indicated in the competitive procedure dossier.

12. Applicants who are not admitted to the competitive procedure shall have their deposits reimbursed within 14 days after being informed that they have not been admitted.

13. The successful bidder’s deposit shall be reimbursed after the agreement has been signed, and the other bidders’ deposits shall be reimbursed within 14 days following the publication in the State Gazette of the Council of Ministers’ decision to grant authorisation for prospection and exploration.

14. Applications to take part in the competitive procedure and bids under the competitive procedure shall be submitted to the Ministry of the Economy, Energy and Tourism building at ul. Triaditsa 8, Sofia, BULGARIA, in Bulgarian, in accordance with the requirements of Article 46 of the Underground Natural Resources Act.

15. Bids shall comply with the requirements and conditions specified in the competitive procedure dossier.

16. The competitive procedure shall be conducted even if only one applicant is admitted to take part in it.

17. The Minister for the Economy, Energy and Tourism is authorised to: 17.1. send this Decision for publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, in the State Gazette and on the website of the Council of Ministers; 17.2. organise and conduct the competitive procedure.

18. Appeals against this Decision may be lodged with the Supreme Administrative Court within 14 days following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Prime Minister Boyko BORISOV Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers Rosen ZHELYAZKOV For the Secretary-General of the Ministry of the Economy, Energy and Tourism Ivanka RAICHKOVA Director, Legal Affairs Directorate, Ministry of the Economy, Energy and Tourism Veselin DRAGNEV