The Bulgarian authorities temporarily closed the "Maritsa 3" TPP near Dimitrovgrad after a series of violations of environmental norms. "They literally committed eight violations from Friday to Saturday out of the 24 allowed for all enterprises in the Maritsa East Basin for the whole year," caretaker Energy Minister Rosen Hristov said.

According to the minister, high pollution from the thermal power plant can lead to the shutdown of all the coal-fired power plants in the region and this would mean that the country could lose 30% of its energy.

"The financial sanctions expected from Brussels are extremely large. There is a possibility that the court will issue measures related to the withdrawal of derogations provided regarding the sulfur dioxide norms of the large plants in the Maritsa East basin", Minister of Environment Rositsa Karamfilova said.