Bulgaria has officially requested from the European Commission that the liberalization of the electricity market for households from July 1, 2025 be postponed. The request is part of the negotiation process to save the funds that our country expects under the Recovery and Resilience Plan and receive a second payment. This was stated at a press conference in Stara Zagora by Dragomir Stoynev, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the „BSP - United Left“.
„BSP has a very consistent commitment to supporting the interest of Bulgarian households in terms of whether and when they can enter the free electricity market. Exactly one year ago – on April 25, 2024, with changes to the Energy Act at the proposal of the BSP, the first postponement of the liberalization of the electricity market for households by one year was achieved. Then we asked for a longer period in order to be absolutely ready. And then, and today, we cannot expose millions of Bulgarians to severe social risk.“, said Dragomir Stoynev.
The first effect of the postponement will be social, according to Stoynev. There is another one, and it will be felt through the stabilization of electricity production by the state-owned TPP. Again a year ago, at the proposal of the BSP, two units of the TPP-Maritsa Iztok were included in the regulated electricity market. Postponing liberalization means that the production of regulated energy will continue, which will also guarantee the load on the state-owned mines in the Maritsa Basin.
In addition to postponing the entry of households into the free market, the negotiating team has achieved that the request for the second payment under the PVA will cancel two more heavy commitments that our country made to the EC under previous administrations. Bulgaria refuses to stop the production of electricity from coal after 2038 by law. “This gives greater freedom, coal-fired power plants will not be legally forced to stop operating after 2038. They can continue to operate on a competitive basis“, announced Dragomir Stoynev. He recalled that our country is experiencing a shortage of basic capacities in the winter, and plans for re-industrialization and launching high-tech production in the country will be feasible only with affordable electricity.
The third important change achieved by the government within the framework of the request for the second payment is that the intention to remove the two most profitable companies from the Bulgarian Energy Holding - Bulgartransgaz and ESO - is being discontinued. This would have led to the actual dissolution of the holding and destabilization of the state energy sector.
„I want to thank the partners in the government - GERB and ITN and especially Deputy Prime Minister Donchev for supporting reasonable decisions, which were also part of the BSP's election program. I believe that on the eve of 100 days of government, this government is showing that it is nationally responsible and is working extremely pragmatically and sensibly on very difficult problems“, said Stoynev.
He announced that thanks to the efforts of the Bulgarian negotiating team, a large part of the funds under the PVP will be saved by redirecting 950 million leva to renew rolling stock, 36 million leva for psychiatric care, and 136 million leva will be increased for air medical care and the purchase of new medical helicopters.
In Stara Zagora, Stoynev emphasized the good interaction with the mayor of the municipality, Zhivko Todorov, who has supported the efforts of the government to protect the interests of the region.
"This is the big political lesson from the situation. In a time of timelessness and caretaker governments, serious reforms were delayed. BSP, and now the government, hold a balanced position regarding our commitments to the EC in the Energy sector. We are aware of the realities in our country and undertake only feasible and non-threatening reforms to social stability and the energy system,“ Stoynev announced.
Regarding the BSP's participation in the joint management, he emphasized that the main commitments of the socialists were fulfilled within three months - Bulgaria has refused to sell the nuclear equipment from the “Belene“ project to the Ukrainian side, salaries in the defense, security and education sectors have been increased, and the BSP's proposals for increasing pensions with the full Swiss rule and for free medicines for children up to 7 years of age have been accepted.
Stoynev also commented on the situation with the construction of the Stroke Treatment Center project in Stara Zagora. He emphasized that the project is important and was implemented thanks to the government, but its financing will be phased. 1 million leva has already been provided for the first year. During this period, public procurement procedures and possible appeals must be organized. After that, the next tranche will be allocated for the project. Thus, he stopped the speculations of opposition parties about whose merit it is and whether full financing has been provided.