The Commission on Protection of Competition has cancelled the Ministry of Economy’s initiative “Available to you” which aimed to lower the prices of around 50 products from the small consumer basket at chain stores.
The initiative was supposed to have been launched on 1 November. According to the regulator, the initiative will result in restricting price competition among traders and is a violation of the constitutional principles of free economic initiative. The Commission is recommending “providing individual food packages and a warm lunch” as a way of coping with the increase in prices.
“The initiative is good, it is European and does not distort competition in any way, but it is very much delayed – by one year,” Assoc. Prof. Ognyan Boyukliev from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences’ Economic Research Institute commented for the BNR. “It is a good thing there will be no price caps. Price caps were put in place in Hungary that have already been done away with because they led to shortages,” Assoc. Prof. Ognyan Boyukliev said.
The Ministry of Economy said that they would not give up the initiative aimed at achieving better prices for consumers. "We have created a basis for competition between the various participants in the initiative for these 50 essential products," Minister of Economy Bogdan Bogdanov said in a televised interview. According to him, talks on the topic between the ministry and the Commission for the Protection of Competition are forthcoming.
There is a further delay in the delivery of the next two air ambulances to Bulgaria, the Italian manufacturer has said in a letter to the Ministry of Health. In the letter, the contractor, Leonardo S.p.A., set new deadlines for the arrival of the..
Another evacuation flight from Lebanon to Bulgaria would be risky and almost impossible to organise , said Bulgaria's ambassador in Beirut, Iassen Tomov. Alternative options are being considered to bring the Bulgarian citizens home. On Tuesday, 169..
Most Bulgarians (60%) are optimistic about the future of the EU. The EU-wide figure is 65%, according to a Eurobarometer post-election survey published by the European Parliament. Positive attitudes towards the Community are also high - more..
The Kalotina border checkpoint on the border with Serbia has already been renovated and has a nearly 30% increased capacity for passenger cars. It has..
At present, there is no information indicating a threat to the security of Bulgarian citizens. However, enhanced security measures have been taken in..
On Wednesday minimum temperatures will be between 2 and 12°C, 5°C in Sofia. Maximum temperatures will be 19-24°C, 21°C in the capital. In the higher..
Mostly Cloudy
Partly Cloudy