Small fuel traders in Bulgaria are planning protests

The National Association of Merchants and Carriers of Fuel in Bulgaria announced on 7^th of January that the small fuel traders will launch protests entitled “Yellow vests”. The reason is the law on the administrative regulation of the trade with petroleum and petroleum products. According to them, the law is lobbying, voted in favour of big chains and aims to destroy small merchants.

The start of the protests is scheduled for this week. They oppose the requirement for 20,000 BGN of registered capital for small traders and additional 20,000 BGN bank guarantee in order to be able to sell fuel or fill gas bottles. In addition, they disagree with the new requirement that anyone who sells household gas should have at least 10,000 bottles in stock. According to them, this will lead to an additional investment of BGN 50,000-60,000, which small traders cannot afford.

The organisers say they will stage protests in all cities and are planning to block all border checkpoints.

Simo Simov, National Association of Merchants and Carriers of Fuel: We will protest in all cities, we will try to block all border crossings. We're ready to anything! We are looking for contact with the French colleagues in Paris. We want to find people to consult us in the organisation.

Plamen Stoyanov, National Association of Traders and Carriers of Fuels: 10,000 bottles at an average price of 50-60 BGN will cost about 500,000-600,000 BGN. Well, how many small merchants can afford to pay such a price? So if a trader succeeds in some way to overcome the first constraint, then the second one will surely fail him. The next logical question would be: in how many towns or villages there are 10,000 households that use gas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).