MPs approve key measures to end miners' blockades
MPs have voted through the five points agreed yesterday with miners and the trade unions after a long parliamentary session. The meeting was held after days of protests against the Bulgarian transition decarbonisation plans that envisaged a diminishing role for Bulgarian coal plants.
Those points include mechanisms for financial help, no specific closure deadlines, more money from euro funds and other broadly discussed but less pivotal points. The miners' protests are now expected to stop, and a lid will be put on the political pressure emanating from the dispute.
Energy commission key vote
The state has formally decided to abolish regulated electricity prices for households from July 1, 2024, thereby ending the role of the national electric company (NEK) as a public energy supplier. In reality, however, households will have their bills capped and receive compensation similar to that paid to businesses last year.
The goal is to avoid the risk of stock prices, but at the same time fulfill the requirements for market liberalization, so as to unblock the payments under the Recovery Plan - Bulgaria is waiting for BGN 1.5 billion by the end of the year and even more next year.
Furniture market boom
In 2022, furniture worth EUR 566 million or more than BGN 1.1 billion was produced in Bulgaria. This figure does not include the production of mattresses and mattress underframes for around EUR 300 million per year.
For comparison - in 2021, production amounted to 505 million euros (without mattresses and mattress underframes). This means a growth of 12%, which, however, also comes through the inflation of raw materials.
The furniture market in the country is also growing. In 2017, domestic consumption was estimated at 214 million euros. In 2020 it grew by 27%, in 2021 - by 64%, and last year it almost doubled to 407 million euros compared to 2017.
MPs approve key measures to end miners' blockades
MPs have voted through the five points agreed yesterday with miners and the trade unions after a long parliamentary session. The meeting was held after days of protests against the Bulgarian transition decarbonisation plans that envisaged a diminishing role for Bulgarian coal plants.
