site.btaEurofound Survey: 27% of Bulgarians Find It Difficult to Cover Utility Bills

Twenty-seven per cent of Bulgarians encounter difficulties when paying their utility bills and have overdue bills, compared to 15.6% in the EU on average, shows an Eurofound survey on the crisis with living expenses and energy poverty in the EU. Quoting the survey's findings on Wednesday, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) reiterates that measures are needed to support energy vulnerable consumers.

The CITUB and Podrepa Labour Confederation insist on the adoption of a definition of energy vulnerable consumers by the end of 2022. In view of the current lack of such a definition,  this winter the number of people entitled to heating allowances should be doubled and the allowance should be BGN 1,000. 

The trade unions also call for higher incomes by the end of 2022 to compensate for the cumulative increase in inflation, which reached 18.7% in September 2022 compared to the like month of 2021. The state budget for next year should be adopted as soon as possible and it should be a stable basis for a rise in incomes in accordance with the challenges stemming from the current crisis. The 2023 budget can be tabled by the caretaker government, the trade unions argue.

Podkrepa and CITUB also demand an increase of the minimum wage from BGN 710 to at least BGN 850 as of January 1, 2023.