Ombudsman refers increased prices of heating and power to Prosecutor's office

Ombudsperson Maya Manolova will meet Deputy Chief Prosecutor and Head of the Supreme Administrative Prosecutor's Office Assya Petrova in connection with the decisions of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission to increase the prices of heating and electricity, the Ombudsperson’s press office announced on 2^nd of July.

The average increase in the price of electricity for consumers on the regulated market for the new period is by 2.03% and the heati energy is by 7.33%.

"EWRC continues its “beloved” practice of adjusting the prices of heating and electricity only upwards, but when the price of natural gas is reduced there is no corresponding reduction of the prices of these essential services for the Bulgarian citizens", Manolova pointed out, recalling that the decrease of the gas price for the fourth quarter of 2017 by 7.29% was not reflected in the prices of heating and electricity.

In her words during the discussion on the rising prices of heating and electricity, it was not clear what the increase in the price of natural gas would be.

We have also referred to the Constitutional Court, challenging the text that does not entitle citizens to appeal such decisions that concern the budget of their households. The only option left for a legal response is through the prosecutor's office, which, if it finds sufficient grounds, can protest the regulator's decisions, she said.