EN Official Journal of the European Union C 36/9

DECISION No 655

of 23 October 2008

on the opening of a procedure for granting of authorization for prospection and exploration of oil and natural gas — underground natural resources in accordance with Article 2, paragraph 1, point 3 of the Law on Underground Natural Resources, at Block 1-12 ‘Knezha’, located in the regions of Vratza, Pleven, Lovetch, Gabrovo and Veliko Tirnovo and notification concerning the envisaged competition for granting of authorization

(2009/C 36/09)

REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

Pursuant to Article 5, point 2; Article 42, paragraph 1, point 1; and Article 44, paragraph 3 of the Law on Underground Natural Resources, and having regard to Article 4, paragraph 2, point 16 and paragraph 1, point 24a of the Energy Law,

THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS HAS DECIDED:

1. to open a procedure for granting of authorization for prospection and exploration of crude oil and natural gas in Block 1-12 ‘Knezha’, with a surface area of 1 348,45 sq. km and with coordinates of points, as specified and indicated in the draft contract for prospection and exploration, which is an integral part of the competition dossier;

2. to announce that the granting of authorization will be based on a competition;

3. to specify that the time period covered by the authorization for prospection and exploration will be 5 years after the date of the entry into force of the contract for prospection and exploration, with a right to extension of this time period pursuant to Article 31, paragraph 3 of the Law on Underground Natural Resources;

4. the competition for granting of authorization pursuant to point 1 will take place on the 150th day after the date of publication of this Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union, at the building of the Ministry of Economy and Energy, Triaditza Street No 8, Sofia;

5. the deadline for purchasing of the competition dossier is 17.00 on the 120th day after the date of publication of this Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union;

6. the deadline for submission of notifications for participation in the competition is 17.00 on the 130th day after the date of publication of this Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union;

7. the deadline for submission of the applications for the competition is 17.00 on the 144th day after the date of publication of this Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union;

8. the competition will not require personal presence;

9. the price of the competition dossier is fixed at BGN 500 (500 Bulgarian Leva). The competition dossier can be purchased from room No 802 at the Ministry of Economy and Energy, Triaditza Street No 8, Sofia, during the time period fixed in point 5;

10. the participants in the competition must comply with the requirements specified in Article 23, paragraph 1 of the Law on Underground Natural Resources;

11. the applications of the participants in the competition will be evaluated on the basis of the proposed work programmes, environmental protection instruments and training instruments, bonuses, and also according to their management and financial capabilities;

12. the deposit for participation in the competition is fixed at BGN 10 000 (10 000 Bulgarian Leva) and it should be paid before the deadline specified in point 6 to the bank account of the Ministry of Economy and Energy, as stated in the competition dossier;

13. in the case of non-admission of an applicant to the competition, the deposit shall be reimbursed within a period of 14 days after the date on which the applicant is notified of non-admission;

14. the deposit of the successful applicant will be retained and the deposits of all other applicants will be reimbursed within a period of 14 days after the publication of the Decision of the Council of Ministers for granting of authorization for prospection and exploration in the State Gazette;

15. the notifications for participation in the competition and the proposals from the applicants concerning the conditions of the competition should be submitted to the Ministry of Economy and Energy, Triaditza Street No 8, in accordance with the requirements of Article 46 of the Law on Underground Natural Resources;

16. the applications for the competition should comply with the requirements and conditions indicated in the competition dossier;

17. the competition can take place even if only one applicant is admitted to participate;

18. the Minister of Economy and Energy is authorized as follows: 18.1. to send the text of this Decision for publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and in the State Gazette, and also on the website of the Council of Ministers; 18.2. to appoint a committee to arrange and conduct the competition;

19. appeals against this Decision can be addressed to the Supreme Administrative Court within 14 days of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.