EN Official Journal of the European Union C 53/13

DECISION No 890

of 20 December 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 1-20 Nikopol’, located in Vratsa, Pleven, Lovech and Veliko Tarnovo provinces, and announcing that authorisation will be granted on the basis of a competitive bidding procedure

2011/C 53/07

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 MINISTERSHAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A procedure shall be opened for granting authorisation for the prospection and exploration of oil and natural gas in ‘Block 1-20 Nikopol’, located in Vratsa, Pleven, Lovech and Veliko Tarnovo provinces, having a surface area of 1 962 km2 and defined by coordinates 1 to 24, as specified in the Annex.

2. The authorisation referred to in point 1 shall be granted on the basis of a competitive bidding 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 bidding 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 bidding 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 bidding 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 bidding dossier shall be set at BGN 15 000. The bidding dossier is to be purchased from Room 813 at the Ministry of the Economy, Energy and Tourism at ul. Triaditsa 8, Sofia, Bulgaria, by the deadline specified in point 4.

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

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

11. The deposit for participation in the competitive bidding 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 bidding dossier.

12. Applicants who are not admitted to the competitive bidding 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 bidding procedure and bids under the 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 bidding dossier.

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

17. The mineral exploration activities shall be carried out after an assessment by the relevant competent authority of the compatibility of the annual work plans for prospection and exploration.

18. The Minister for the Economy, Energy and Tourism is authorised to: 18.1. 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; 18.2. organise and conduct the bidding procedure.

19. 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.

For the Prime Minister Tsvetan TSVETANOV Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers Rosen ZHELYAZKOV Secretary-General of the Ministry of the Economy, Energy and Tourism Vladimir TUDZHAROV For the Director of the Legal Affairs Directorate of the Ministry of the Economy, Energy and Tourism Ilona STOYKOVA