“We do not claim that we are creating a perfect law. There is no such thing. We claim that we are creating a legal framework that will allow the control bodies to enter into their functions and achieve our goal - limiting speculation and unjustified price increases”. This was stated on the air of “Your Day” on NOVA NEWS Milen Trifonov, MP from “Progressive Bulgaria”.
This morning, the parliamentarians adopted measures against the unjustified increase in the prices of goods and services on second reading. These are the first actions in this direction, proposed and undertaken by the parliamentary group of “Progressive Bulgaria”.
In response to criticism from some of the opposition that a loophole has been left for the criteria to be circumvented through the exception for increasing production costs, Trifonov explained that this must be proven with the primary accounting documents.
“We are providing a clear legal framework and methods by which they can justify why they have increased prices. We are clearly aware that there will be resistance to these legislative changes because we affect the interests of large retail chains. But we have made a specific commitment to Bulgarian citizens and we will not back down”, said Trifonov.
He added that the majority's goal was also to stimulate Bulgarian producers and large retail chains to work primarily with Bulgarian producers.
Trifonov said that there was good dialogue in the committees between the first and second readings. “A balance was sought. We also made some changes that deviated from part of the legislation. And if there are mistakes made – most likely there will be such in the legislation – this will actually be refracted through the prism of judicial practice. The guarantee for whether these measures are too strict or too liberal will be precisely the possible appeal of the actions of the CPC and the Consumer Protection Commission”, said Trifonov.
Regarding the drawing of new debt, Trifonov said that no finance minister dreams of starting its management like this. “We are doing it because of the situation in which Bulgarian finances are. This debt is extremely urgent”, said Trifonov. The priority in the budget will be the fight against inequalities, education, and dealing with price increases.