EN Official Journal of the European Union C 178/22

DECISION No 165

of 18 March 2011

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 3 Tsar Kaloyan’, located in Ruse, Razgrad, Silistra, Shumen, Targovishte and Veliko Tarnovo provinces, and announcing that authorisation will be granted on the basis of a competitive bidding procedure

2011/C 178/08

REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

Pursuant to Articles 5(2), 7(2)(8), 42(1)(1) and 44(3) of the Underground Natural Resources Act, and Articles 4(1)(1) and 16 of the Regulation on the conduct of bidding and tendering procedures for granting authorisation for the prospection and/or exploration of, and awarding concessions for the production of, underground natural resources as defined by the Underground Natural Resources Act, adopted by Council of Ministers Resolution No 231 of 2010,

THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS HAS DECIDED THAT:

1. A procedure shall be opened for granting authorisation for the prospection and exploration of oil and natural gas in ‘Block 3 Tsar Kaloyan’, located in Ruse, Razgrad, Silistra, Shumen, Targovishte and Veliko Tarnovo provinces and having a surface area of 4 068 km2 and coordinates 1 to 8 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 complying with the conditions of the competitive bidding procedure 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 the following address: ul. Triaditsa 8, Sofia, Bulgaria, by the deadline specified in point 4.

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

10. Bids complying with the conditions of the competitive bidding procedure 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 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. 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.

13. Applications to take part in the competitive bidding procedure and bids complying with the conditions of the competitive bidding procedure shall be submitted to the Registry of the Ministry of the Economy, Energy and Tourism at ul. Triaditsa 8, Sofia, Bulgaria, in Bulgarian, in accordance with the requirements of Article 46 of the Underground Natural Resources Act.

14. Bids shall comply with the requirements and conditions specified in the bidding dossier.

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

16. The mineral exploration activities shall be carried out after the relevant competent authority has assessed the compatibility of the annual work plans for prospection and exploration in accordance with the Regulation on the conditions and procedures for assessing the compatibility of plans, programmes, projects and investment proposals with the object and aims of conserving protected areas, adopted by Council of Ministers Decree No 201 of 2007 (published in State Gazette No 73/2007; amended in No 81/2010).

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 and in the State Gazette; 17.2. organise and conduct the bidding 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 For the Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers Veselin DAKOV