The Bulgarian Parliament has made the decision to postpone the liberalization of the energy market for a year, starting from July 1st. This move was supported by 152 votes from various political parties, including GERB-CDS, MRF, Vazrazhdane, "BSP for Bulgaria," and ITN, while 35 PP-DB MPs chose to abstain, and 7 from the same group voted against. The Energy Act has been amended to allow the EWRC to continue setting quotas for state-owned power plants for electricity produced for the regulated market, with the National Electricity Company maintaining its role as a public supplier for households until July 2025 at prices regulated by the governing body.
In a separate decision, lawmakers have mandated the government to allocate 250 million Bulgarian leva annually until 2028 for land reclamation at the state-owned Maritsa East Mines. Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, along with the Energy Minister and representatives of energy sector unions, have discussed securing funds for the mines, with the caretaker government setting aside 250 million leva for this purpose. In response to these developments, a significant protest by miners took place in Sofia today, demanding the postponement of energy market liberalization and the protection of their employment opportunities.