Bulgarian caretaker Prime Minister Georgi Bliznashki gave a speech during Monday's ceremony for the professional holiday of miners. Photo by BGNES
Bulgarian miners have asked caretaker Prime Minister Georgi Bliznashki to lift the ban on shale gas extraction through hydraulic fracturing.
At an event celebrating the professional holiday of the miner, representatives of the Bulgarian Chamber of Mining and Geology handed Bliznashki a list of demands, vowing to support the preparation of fair early elections on October 5 in exchange.
Bulgarian miners, as cited by money.bg, insisted that shale gas would provide an opportunity for the diversification of gas supplies and for reducing prices of natural gas.
They also insisted that the caretaker government include in its agenda the adoption of the project for the sustainable development of the mining industry in Bulgaria.
Miners said they had prepared a set of legal changes to the Subsurface Resources Act to be passed by the next Parliament.
They were adamant that the politicization of the issue of concession fees for the extraction of subsurface resources was not to be allowed.
Bulgarian miners also called for an urgent preparation of a package of measures aimed at improving the business environment in the country.
The ceremony for the professional holiday of miners was attended by Georgi Bliznashki, who gave a speech, and by caretaker Labor Minister Yordan Hristoskov, and caretaker Economy and Energy Minister Vasil Shtonov.