There is still no clarity regarding the formula for calculating building installations. This was stated in the studio of “This Morning“ on bTV by the national ombudsman Velislava Delcheva. According to her, there has been a legal vacuum since the Supreme Administrative Court suspended its use.
She added that the Court of Justice of the European Union has confirmed that the formula is inaccurate and does not allow citizens to understand how they pay for the heat used.
“The heating season has started, I sent a letter to the Minister of Energy and “Toplofikatsia“ to give me clarity on what will happen. A working group at the department is looking for a solution, they are taking into account the energy efficiency class of the building. This element will be included in the new formula. However, I am alarming that the majority of buildings in Bulgaria "they do not have technical passports," the ombudsman explained.
According to her, the renovated buildings will pay a lower fee. She added that citizens will have to pay themselves to receive a technical passport.
„There should be clarity by the end of this month, because the new bills are coming in December. We also have to wait for the opinion on the merits of the Supreme Administrative Court. Until there is a new formula, the old one should not be included in the invoice, this would mean about 20% lower bills," she added.
The ombudsman also said that people who have filed legal complaints about the “building installation fee“ should get their money back, because Bulgarian magistrates must comply with the decision of the European Court.
Delcheva explained that the invoices that customers receive should also be changed. According to the decision of the European Court, they should become more understandable for consumers.
Regarding the introduction of the euro, Delcheva pointed out that elderly people are worried about the currency change. She drew attention to the fact that there is no need to re-sign contracts for goods or services, because they are automatically converted into currency.
The Ombudsman's institution is ready with its first constitutional complaint. “This concerns the latest amendments to the Road Traffic Act, which allow the state to collect fines in an illegal manner. This is how the law was created that you cannot pass a technical inspection if you, as the owner, have not paid your fines“, she added.