Bulgarians Join Balkan Protest Against Soaring Food Prices
Bulgaria has joined Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro in organizing protests against rising food prices
The new prices of electricity, heating and natural gas, which have been determined by decision of the Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (KEVR) earlier in the week, enter into force in Bulgaria on Friday.
The average increase in the price of electricity for household users is 0.04 %, while for non-domestic users the average decrease in prices reaches up to 17 %.
The changes in the prices of electricity are different for each of the three electricity distribution companies operating in the country, namely CEZ serving western Bulgaria, Energo-Pro operating in the northeastern part of the country and EVN supplying southeastern Bulgaria.
For household users, there is no change in the prices of electricity for customers of CEZ, for Energo-Pro users there is decrease of 0.88 %, while for customers of EVN there is increase of 0.83 %.
For non-household users, the customers of Energo-Pro will feel the largest decrease of 17.19 %. The prices for users of CEZ drop by 10.11 %, while for those of EVN the decrease is 7.84 %.
The new prices of electricity will remain into force until the end of June next year.
The nearly 10 % decrease in the price of natural gas has led to drop in the prices of heating.
The average decrease in the price of heating is 6 %, with the largest drop being for users from Razgrad - 5.86 %. In Sofia, the prices of heating drop by 3.43 %, there is 1.59 % decrease in Varna 1.59 %, while in Plovdiv the drop is 2.44 %.
The price of natural gas for the third quarter of the year drops by 9.97 %, with the price for the last quarter to be determined in October.
For the ninth consecutive year (excluding 2022), the electrical industry remains the largest contributor to Bulgaria's exports, as reported by the Bulgarian Association of Electrical Engineering and Electronics (BASEL)
European natural gas prices have climbed above €55 per megawatt-hour for the first time in 16 months, driven by colder temperatures across the continent that are increasing demand for heating fuel
Serbian oil and gas company NIS, controlled by Russia’s Gazprom, is considering exiting its operations in Bulgaria and Romania due to ongoing difficulties in both markets
The Russian company Lukoil initiated the process of selling its Bulgarian assets in June last year, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced during a parliamentary hearing
In 2023, 10.6% of the population in the European Union reported being unable to keep their homes adequately warm
The Bulgarian government has announced a program to compensate businesses and non-household electricity subscribers for high energy costs until the end of March
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