The European Commission sent Gazprom a formal request in February to provide information in connection with an alleged violation of antitrust legislation in gas supplies by the Russian gas giant's affiliated companies in Bulgaria, Gazprom said in a memorandum for a new Eurobond offering.

The request states that the EC has information that Gazprom may have abused its dominant position on the Bulgarian wholesale gas market and/or participated directly or indirectly in an uncompetitive agreement concerning the Bulgarian wholesale gas market, thus violating European Union antitrust legislation, the memorandum states.

The memorandum states that the request itself does not mean there will be any formal proceedings or accusations and is intended to obtain information about the national gas market.

The requests were sent to Gazprom and Gazprom Germania on February 3, 2016.

Gazprom supplied gas to Bulgaria through two channels: Gazprom Export – Overgas Inc – Bulgargaz and Gazprom Export – Gazprom Germania – WIEE – Bulgargaz. When a campaign began to simplify the chain of supply for Russian gas exports, Gazprom Germania was excluded first of all.