So does this mean that wood burning stoves are to be phased out and that the villagers will have to use electricity or gas instead?

Or is it just a very misleading headline?

Brussels Belgium: the largest insane asylum in the world..

But wood is renewable energy and comes from sustainable forests, it's almost carbon neutral too, apart from transportation.

If you relied on electric or gas people would freeze to death when the power goes off for a week and you're snowed in lol

Maybe French and German power companies are not making enough money out of Bulgaria if Bulgaria has its own sources of power . It seems as though the price of being in the EU is to give up your sovereignty and independence and rely on expensive providers from these two countries

Whilst this is a laudable aim of the EU, to reduce dependency on fossil fuels, it should be applied with consideration for each member country. Bulgaria has no real alternative, electricity supply is totally inadequate with what we need at this moment in time so would never meet the demand for electrically heated homes, at least not for years to come. Gas supply in the quantity that would be required is also totally inadequate and regulations just are not designed for bulk use, neither are current tax laws which make it a laborious process to apply to purchase gas tax free. So what are Bulgarians left with?? No, the EU should first ensure the infrastructure for such a major change is in place before the big stick is wielded, otherwise an already impoverished population has to be charged even more for a basic commodity to sustain life.

@ Peter

Since when has wood become a fossil fuel ?

The article speaks of particulates being the result of wood burning, and thus a problem.

Seedy recommends a switch from burning wood to burning gypsies.

Nope - Seedy recommends burning either dead wood, which releases tiny particulates, or deadheads like Choochoo, which just contain tiny particulates...

use rocket mass heaters instead of traditional wood burners

A particularly tedious response from the forums resident ultra-nationalist and rabid fascist, Seedy.

Bulerican, stop nit picking and grab the big picture. Bulgarians cannot afford to pay a fine from the EU (which can only be recovered by government through taxes or directly on the price of wood) which will only put up the price of one of life's basic's - heat - The EU is right in trying to discourage the use of carbon emitting fuels but it must be done with sensitivity and compassion for the poorer population. Half of Europe is involved here so it wont happen overnight and the Government must ensure that "Eurocrats" sitting in their ivory palaces thinking up new ways to justify their own jobs get the message.

Ain't picking no nits Peter.

You are the perfect one, not I.

BTW, excellent post, no errors. (I did miss one on the previous post /the=they), keep up the good work.

There is nothing wrong with wood burning, I personally will be damned if the EU is going to tell me that I can not burn wood in my fireplaces.

Every tree that is taken down on my properties is replaced by 4 others (future supply and all that).

If all countries of the world would pull their collective heads out of their A$$es and plant a few million/billion trees, the co2/global warming problems can easily be reversed.

The air around my houses is delightful due to all the trees breathing around me.