"After conducting a thorough review, the Council of Ministers upheld the European Commission's position on Gazprom's offer… Proposals approved by the commission offer a quick and secure resolution of the problems with Gazprom's abuses of its dominant position," the government said in a statement on its website.
Gazprom's offer is a step in the right direction but needs further adjustment due to its vague nature, the statement added.
"Bulgarian stakeholders, including Bulgarian Energy Holding, Bulgargaz and Bulgartransgaz, are in constant contact with the European Commission," the government said.
In 2015, the European Commission launched an antitrust case against Gazprom, accusing it of hindering competition and unfair pricing for its eastern and central European clients. This included fragmenting the market with restrictive contracts, linking gas prices to an oil basket rather than European auctions and seeking access to gas transport infrastructure in client countries when offering supply contracts. Gazprom made proposals to eliminate these practices in 2016.
Gazprom could face a fine of up to 10 percent of its worldwide turnover in case it violates its commitments.
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