A Bulgarian lawyer has sent an eight-page letter to the European Commission pointing to various alleged violations of EU competition rules relating to the oft-delayed Belene nuclear power plant, Euractiv Bulgaria reports.

The European Commission confirmed on Wednesday (15 January) it had received the letter from lawyer Albena Belyanova, who has worked at the country’s Nuclear Regulatory Agency and the Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH). She has also published the letter on her website.

It is addressed to the Commissioners for Energy (Kadri Simson), the Internal Market (Thierry Breton), the Environment (Virginius Sinkevicius) and the Executive Vice-President of the Commission, Margrethe Vesgater, who is in charge of competition, according to Euractiv.com.

In particular, Belyanova questions the compliance with EU competition policy of the selection procedure for a strategic investor for the construction of the Belene NPP. Lawyer Belyanova says some of the conditions and criteria for participation are unclear or contradictory and do not allow for objective evaluation. Furthermore, there is no information on the requirements for evaluating the applications.

Belyanova wrote that although the procedure does not invite equipment suppliers and companies providing financial structuring services, two applications from equipment suppliers have been received. This, in her words, violates competition rules and procurement requirements for the delivery of goods and the provision of services.