„In all cases, this increase in the price of hot water and heating will be stopped, because this is an absurdity. The management of „Toplofikatsiya Sofia" has been entrusted to economists and lawyers, it has been left to self-development. The company is in a state of smoldering bankruptcy, and a bankruptcy of „Toplofikatsiya Sofia" is a bankruptcy of both the capital and the state. Sofia will remain gloomy. We have repeatedly called on competent people to enter "Toplofikatsiya Sofia". This was explained in the program "Your Day" on NOVA NEWS by Ivan Hinovski from the Bulgarian Energy and Mining Forum.
He added that in the request of "Toplofikatsiya Sofia" there are two components that form the price they proposed. "One is the expected growth in natural gas, they have set a higher percentage, expecting a higher price increase. And secondly - the necessary repairs to the heat transmission network, which is outdated and depreciated. But the question is why is there no single document, investment program or project how much they cost and what will be repaired? "Toplofikatsiya" does not have a single underground cadastral plan. How do they calculate these funds for repairs?", the expert asked.
Hinovski was categorical that the State Financial Inspection Agency should be asked to enter the company to understand how the money is spent and the expenses are planned. "Things should be managed according to engineering standards, not by economists and lawyers. The debts are already 2.7 billion leva. We will all pay them or the budget. Which is absurd", Hinovski pointed out.
And he explained that the company should be rehabilitated through partial privatization, the entry of private investors and competition in the heat energy production phase - in order to improve efficiency.
When asked what he thought would be an adequate percentage for the increase in heat energy given the current price of natural gas, Hinovski answered categorically: "No more than 7-8%. If the growth of natural gas is, for example, 20%, this does not mean that the growth of the price of thermal energy should be 20%. It is only part of the components in the price. If the growth of gas is 50%, then this should be reflected proportionally - for example, 3.5% of the total price".