Asen Vassilev: The energy regulator sees no reason to raise household prices

There is no need to extend the moratorium on electricity prices. The regulator sees no reason to raise them, said the Deputy Prime Minister. "At least according to the regulator, there will be no drastic movements in the prices of electricity for households."

"Especially for the electricity industry, we are very little dependent on the war. There is fuel for Kozloduy NPP until 2025. Coal is our national resource. There is water in the dams. Only the gas power plants are connected to the war and external energy sources and their prices, "Vassilev explained. He reminded that currently 80 percent of the energy is sold for the day ahead, which makes the market extremely unpredictable and expensive, said Asen Vassilev.

With the new mechanisms for the market segment of 12 months, 18 months we will be able to "disconnect" from the market for the day ahead, he added.

"TPPs 1, 2 and 3 remain operational, their capacities will not be closed, confirmed the Deputy Prime Minister regarding the capacities in the Maritsa Basin.”We use them when we need them.” Vassilev did not comment on how TPP Brickel and TPP Bobov Dol will continue to operate.

The strategic goal of the country was not to replace coal with gas - this means to replace local, our own resource, with imported, in which we have no control over prices or security of supply, said Asen Vassilev. "We are prolonging the life of our resource." According to Vassilev, this is how we will go "from coal to green, and not coal-gas-green, as it was before."

"Nuclear energy cannot be in the Recovery Plan. The Ministry of Energy is currently launching an investigation into how another reactor can be built as quickly as possible, most likely at the Kozloduy site. The reason is that there is a ready site with EIA, there is an assembled team as well. Maybe a second. If we start it in 2022, we will have it in 2028-2029-2030, "Vassilev said.

"In order to be able to take the energy and use it when we need it, we need to store it," said Asen Vassilev in connection with the future production of batteries.

All major battery manufacturers have been invited, and the whole process will be led by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, so that "there are no games on local soil," he said.

For the speculation on the price of oil

We see unjustified increases at certain traders for a day or two, after which everything calms down. And this is synchronized with organized media coverage, commented to BNR Deputy Prime Minister Asen Vassilev on the occasion of the mass purchase of oil and queues for gasoline before. "We have information that such actions are prepared with flour and sugar. These are media hysteria that are organized without any basis, "said the Minister of Finance. According to his data, there are stocks of sunflower seeds for 4 years, Asen Vassilev gave an example.

Regarding GERB's criticism of intermediaries in the purchase of grain for the State Reserve, Asen Vassilev clarified: "Grain is bought on the stock exchange. There are no intermediaries. The exchange mechanism is the most transparent mechanism to buy this grain. "According to him, the most important thing for the government is to ensure food until the harvest of 2023. Currently in Bulgaria there are about twice as much grain as we need and there is a lot of pressure all this grain should be exported, nothing should remain in Bulgaria, Vassilev noted.

According to the deputy prime minister, the state could have reacted "more rudely", as in Serbia or Hungary, where exports were directly banned. "It should be possible to export surplus grain, but if we see that food cannot be provided, maybe we will go in that direction."

There are savings and buffers in the budget to cover the costs of refugees from Ukraine before they are reimbursed. At the moment, the investment costs are not being touched, the Deputy Prime Minister explained.

Currently, the costs are expressed in full board - one night and three meals a day. It is not planned to give cash.

Vassilev also stressed the need to "examine the structure and composition of the armed forces and make difficult decisions that have been delayed for decades."