| Abstract |
The objective of this paper is to present a number of items concerning thermal waters regulation in Bulgaria and their implications for geothermal development in the country. After 1990 a new legislation concerning thermal waters and geothermal energy use has been published. Till now the laws passed through many amendments aiming to meet the new economical requirements. Thermal waters as a product of the bowels of the earth are under the jurisdiction of the Constitution and Law on water. According to the Law on water (1999) thermal waters are owned by the State or by the Municipalities. Permits issued by the Minister of Environment and Water are required for state-owned thermal waters used for treatment, rehabilitation and prevention, space heating, swimming pools, thermal water supply for domestic, technical and some industrial purposes. The following laws govern the use of geothermal waters: Law on water, Law on concessions and State and Municipality property laws. The Law on concessions regulates the conditions and order for delivery of concessions. They are awarded on the basis of a tender and are issued for up to 35 years. The Consul of Ministers issues geothermal licensing. Concessions for state-owned mineral waters are delivered when the use is for bottling, heating and air-conditioning (more than 5 MWt installed capacity) and extraction of chemical elements and derivatives. Municipality owned thermal waters are governed only by concessions. |