[size=75:12swhad3]novinite April 13 2010

Bulgaria FBI Enter Offices of Electric Power Supplier EVN

Plain clothes employees of Bulgaria's State Agency for National Security (DANS) have entered customer centers of the electric power supplier EVN Tuesday.

The Regional Manager for the Austrian owned EVN Bulgaria, Joerg Zolfelner, informed at an emergency briefing that the DANS officers were looking for proof the company is carrying out their investment program.

Zolfelner admitted DANS did not conduct a raid, and did not confiscate anything, but voiced his utter surprise the State is looking for such documents at centers where customers pay their electric bills, instead of the EVN headquarters in the city of Plovdiv or the State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation, where the information can be found .

The Regional Director further pointed out his discontent from the fact that the agents did not have a warrant and that DANS had been involved since it investigates criminals, who threaten national security.

The probes have involved 6 cities and towns – Burgas, Stara Zagora, Yambol, Kardzhali, Krumovgrad and Haskovo. According to Zolfelner, the checkups are continuing in other offices and EVN centers throughout southeastern Bulgaria, which is serviced by the company. He said EVN has nothing to fear.

The law, however, gives DANS the right to request information and collect such while media reports further say the agents have been courteous and there have not been any “police” scenes.

DANS had not conducted checkups of the other 2 electric power distributors in Bulgaria – the Czech CEZ and the German E.ON as Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, promised last week. The checkups, he said, would be part of the audit of the State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation about ways to set electric power prices.

the first year in bulgaria, my electric bills were beyond understanding, from 1,000 levs, 400 levs, maybe 250 levs sometimes. we knew something was very wrong. it took a year of complaints to no avail. then we put it in writing to germany e-on. and guess what, 10 guys arrived, removed metre ( evidence gone) installed new one, and bills went down to an average of 60 levs. yes, something is really wrong in bulgaria. but im not complaining now, think they got fed up of me in the end.