MPs adopted a new moratorium on the prices of electricity and heating

MPs adopted a new moratorium on electricity, heating and water prices. It provides for a price freeze for three and a half months. Thus, the functions of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission are temporarily suspended for this period.

The moratorium will be valid from December 16, 2021 to March 31, 2022 and will enter into force after its publication in the State Gazette. Prices are frozen at the current levels, and not as originally agreed - from January 1.

Yesterday the MPs adopted the proposal of the opposition GERB-UDF to introduce a moratorium on prices. However, the decision proved impossible, as it involved a price freeze at the levels of January 1, 2021. At that time, they were lower than the current ones.

Prior to the freezing, the energy regulator proposed that the prices of heating be increased by up to 30%, and of electricity by 10% from January 1. The reason was rising prices of basic resources for electricity generation on international markets.

The first criticism of the new moratorium was expressed yesterday by the Council of Ministers, advising MPs to either repeal the adopted text or change it. According to the executive, if there is a moratorium, it should be urgent. If not - MPs must work to change the Energy Act.

The Movement for rights and Freedoms (MRF) is firmly against the moratorium.

It was received with a remark by Democratic Bulgaria, which announced yesterday that they were against state interference in the work of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission. They pointed out that if such a decision is made, it must be temporary.

The chairman of the ad-hod committee for dealing with the energy crisis, Radoslav Ribarski from "We Continue the Change", announced from the parliamentary rostrum that the shock rise should be postponed for a short period because it could lead to and deepen the social crisis.

"The proposed draft is limited in time in order to reduce state interference in the activities of the energy regulator," Ribarski explained.

A longer term of the moratorium was proposed by the opposition GERB-UDF.

"Indeed, what you said - you are right, but we need to think about the specific date by which the moratorium should take effect," said former GERB Deputy Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov.

According to Toma Bikov of the same coalition, the frozen prices should be valid until July 1, when the regulatory period expires.

The BSP strongly opposed the statement of GERB-UDF. According to Georgi Svilenski, it was the former government which made mistakes in the text yesterday and it needs to be corrected.

Give the Minister of Energy the opportunity to fully get acquainted with his powers, give tolerance to the new government, and not just two days," said Lubomir Karimanski of There is Such a People.

The decision on the moratorium was also supported by the Vazrazhdane party, as the political formation also expressed suspicions about possible conflict of interests of MP Toma Bikov. Bikov himself denied.

MRF again strongly opposed the moratorium.

"I still wonder why we are having a debate on the moratorium, and it should be a debate on how to help business, since yesterday there has been an energy crisis, not just a price crisis," said Ramadan Atalay of the MRF.

He warned that the moratorium would have a very bad effect on the entire economy. He called on lawmakers to lift the price freeze altogether.

"You colleagues have created a crisis, I wonder why you continue to discuss it," Atalay said.

The MRF also suggested working on legislative measures to ensure that the price of electricity, heating and gas does not rise.

According to the Vazrazhdane party, imposing a moratorium is a mistake, whether the text of the document is corrected or not.

Bulgaria’s Parliament imposed moratorium on electricity prices for household consumers

ESO, electricity distribution companies express a position on the moratorium on electricity prices

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