A plan for the privatisation of 34 public utilities has been approved by the Belgian government
The Bulgarian government has approved a plan for the privatisation of seven distribution companies, 20 heating utilities and seven thermal power plants. The proceeds from the sale will be subsumed into the national budget. However a number of power sector companies have been exempted from privatisation. These include the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, the power transmission system and the central dispatching authority.
In a separate move, Bulgaria has agreed to supply Montenegro with electricity to help ease a power crisis. The amount agreed is 2.5 MWh a day, though this is less than Montenegro was hoping to secure. Electricity is now rationed there, with supplies cut off for up to four hours each day. Without imports, these could stretch to 10 hours each day. As an additional measure, companies that do not settle their bills with the Montenegro Electric Co for more than a month will face severe penalties.