Heating Bills can Jump in Cost by a Double-Digit Percentage

CITUB leader Plamen Dimitrov predicts double-digit growth in the percentage of heating bills this winter in an interview with Nova News.

"In terms of the price of electricity, households will be protected, but in terms of gas, they will not be. Probably the heating bills will increase by a double-digit percentage," Dimitrov said.

He was in the studio with Vasil Velev of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA) to discuss rapidly rising electricity prices for businesses.

"Such prices have never existed, and they are escalating so fast. This is unprecedented. The average market price is expected to be double. This means that everyone who is on the free market and is not a household consumer receives double electricity bills and they will continue to grow. For the next two quarters the forecast is the same, "Velev explained.

According to him, with higher electricity bills for businesses over BGN 2 billion will be additionally seized on the free market.

"This is either at the expense of people's wages or at the expense of rising prices. They are more than twice compared to the forecast and more than three times compared to last year," he revealed.

According to Dimitrov, there is no country in Europe that can cope with rising prices on its own. According to him, concrete packages are needed to help people. According to him, despite the situation, it is an exaggeration to say that "Jean-Videnov's winter" is waiting for us.

The topic was also commented by the acting Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov, according to whom it should be countered with business aid in the form of direct compensation. Regarding household consumers, Pekanov pointed out that a legal definition of energy poverty is needed in order for...