SPEECHES AND STATEMENTS

Statement of President Rosen Plevneliev on the occasion of the increased social tension over the high prices of electricity

Good afternoon. Welcome to all.

As President I am not indifferent to the nationwide mass protests of recent days held throughout the country. The protests started over high electricity bills but their roots run deeper. As I have said many times, the big problem is the sense of injustice, the low incomes and the high unemployment. The people’s voice must be heard. I expect that the relevant authorities will promptly take on the specific commitment to implement effective short and long-term measures.

The direction of these measures is clear. The people must know what they are paying for and why. They should enjoy the freedom to choose their electricity supplier, while energy prices should be competitive, not monopoly ones. In Europe the people have the full freedom to choose their supplier – of electricity, central heating, telecommunication services, the Internet and many others. The people should have the right to freely choose their electricity suppliers and this is namely the reason why we must introduce the long due European rules for liberalization. Energy efficiency should be fully introduced. Only it will reduce by half the electricity bills.

Personnel changes, of course, are among the tools employed by governments and legislatures, and they can be used. For me, however, they are only part of the solution.  For me it is far more important to solve people’s problems.

Clearly the energy sector has faced serious structure-related problems accumulated over the past 23 years. The sector is not working efficiently. Obviously oversight is insufficient. We are all paying the price for this. A number of checks conducted by the competent state authorities are under way. I categorically insist that all entities along the chain which have to do with the price of electricity, besides the power distribution companies, the Bulgarian Energy Holding and the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission, among others, be probed and the findings be announced promptly.  Inefficient costs and corruption, wherever there are such, should be brought to light and eliminated.

It is necessary to undertake urgent legislative measures which will set up an efficient, strong, non-partisan and independent regulator in the energy sector. It is necessary to make amendments to the Public Procurement Act in order to adjust the loopholes that provide for offences through probes to establish these cases.

It should be clear that nationalization of the energy utilities is not a solution. One of the reasons why the Bulgarians are poor, as I have said many times, is that every four years they have to start from scratch. Some governments privatized the utilities; others want to nationalize them so that still others may later on resume their privatization.
I call on all political parties to leave the slogans aside and propose specific solutions on how bills to be reduced and transparency and efficiency improved in the energy sector. I expect that parliament will hold a debate on this issue.

During Bulgaria's short democratic history we have had snap elections and expert governments. Today, public trust depends on concrete and clear commitments and results.

I am calling for a nationally responsible approach. May all uphold the principles of democracy and the rule of law. Even though the president has no powers to set the prices of electricity and has no control over the regulatory bodies, I side with the people and guarantee that their voice will be heard and that the competent authorities will function adequately and do their job.

Thank you. I wish you success and a good day. Goodbye.