On Thursday the National Assembly updated and confirmed its decision from Wednesday to impose a moratorium on utility prices at current pricing levels for water, electricity and heating until 31 March 2022. Yesterday, the parties had proposed to halt price increases for an unspecified period, a decision which posed significant risks for the financial stability of the entire energy system and even led to calls for revision from the executive.
Cabinet postpones compulsory Green Certificates at least until March 2022
The breakthrough plan of the Kiril Petkov government - to probe the introduction of compulsory "Green Certificate" for Covid-19 vaccination, recovery or test - for all members of the Public Administration - would not move forward until at least March of next year, cabinet head Lena Borislavova said on Thursday. Employees who do not want to be vaccinated and do not have a certificate of prevalence or antibodies will be given the opportunity to undergo regular rapid tests, Ms Borislavova added.
Minister of Transport fires Bulgarian railways executive
Lyuben Nanov, Manager of Bulgarian National Railways (BDZ), has been fired on the order of Nikolay Sabev, Minister of Transport and Communications. The move came after the minister ordered an extraordinary meeting of the Board of Directors of BDZ. The reasons stem from the poor management of the company's operational activity, the ministry's press office reports. The ministry claims that it had discovered irregularities in the implementation of the repair programs of the locomotives and wagons belonging to BDZ, which have "contributed to the deterioration of the service provided, which goes against the public interest".
Pension bonuses of 50 BGN to continue into 2022 as well: Social Minister
The 50 BGN (25 euro) monthly bonuses to old age pensions will remain in place after 1 January 2022, Minister of Social care Georgi Gyokov (BSP) told Bulgaria on Air TV on Thursday. He said that Finance Minister Assen Vassilev (WCC) has assured him that there are enough dedicated funds for the anticrisis bonus to continue and that there is even a chance for it to be increased by 10-12 percent. Mr Gyokov added that the bonus to the pension will stay until there are epidemic restrictions in place.
On Thursday the National Assembly updated and confirmed its decision from Wednesday to impose a moratorium on utility prices at current pricing levels for water, electricity and heating until 31 March 2022. Yesterday, the parties had proposed to halt price increases for an unspecified period, a decision which posed significant risks for the financial stability of the entire energy system and even led to calls for revision from the executive.
