Protests in Bulgaria grow

The anger of Bulgarians against monopolies in the energy sector finally sparked in the end of January leading to protests in the whole of the country. Unrealistically high energy bills for December caused the outburst.

The situation is such that retirees in Bulgaria sometimes have to choose to pay their bills or buy food. Poverty that affects half of the population made people take their negotiations to the street, calling for nationalization of energy distribution companies and strict control over prices imposed by monopolies in the energy sector.

The State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission now has the difficult task to make a full analysis of price formation in the energy sector, while the prosecution started a check of the work of the commission. The aim is to see if laws were kept when defining energy prices. Scientists from the Bulgarian Academy of Science also protest over violations in the scientific research fund. Environmentalists in this country too continue with their protests against overconstruction at the Black Sea coast and plans for building new lifts in the national park of Pirin. 

The Bulgarian government will surely have to make some decisive steps in the coming months before the next parliamentary elections in order to solve the issues that cause social discontent.

Adapted from Bulgarian National Radio