The Prime Minister: Opportunities are being sought to import gas from reliable sources

The country is in a crisis situation and crises are in almost every sphere of public life. This was stated to BNT by acting Prime Minister Galab Donev.

The allegation of the introduction of a state of emergency, which has appeared in the public space, is frivolous to say the least, he said.

Although I saw that and the CVs of the ministers, the profile of this caretaker government leans towards a military headquarters. Perhaps they also mean my first higher education at the Air Force Academy. We have no such intentions.

Gas supplies

We will look for all possibilities for gas supplies from reliable sources, at an affordable price, so that we do not hold auctions week after week, said Galab Donev and specified that this will be done through Greece and Turkey as well.

The problem of gas supply is very significant and we will look for possible sources for full diversification of gas supply. According to him, tankers are not reliable supplies.

What we have as an analysis and report of Bulgagaz is that the gas supplies are secured until August. What is being said is that the interconnector with Greece will be ready, because it guarantees us the supply of Azeri gas. There are a lot of things that need to be done that in these 7 months have not been completed - we do not have act 15, let alone act 16. There is talk of canceling the supervisory board for the interconnector - this cancellation is in connection with the fact that mistakes were made in the names of the supervisory board. Canceled to spell names correctly.

He also said that the offer for the seven gas tankers did not specify with which trader the contract should be concluded.

Who should we contract with? There are two traders in this system - one holding the regasification terminal and another trader. The previous government bequeathed us a scheme in which we have to negotiate with traders. That is why we said that we will also announce an auction.

The roll call at the National Revenue Agency

 The motives for the change of the head of the NRA Rumen Specov are extremely clean and clear, declared Galab Donev. It is quite well analyzed and can be seen from the results that the NRA shows for the revenue part in the budget for the first 6 months of the year, the analyzes and the forecasts.

Electricity prices for business

Compensation for the electricity business is included in the budget update, but only until the end of September. Only state companies participate in this compensation, Donev specified.

"We will try to find a solution to this problem. We need to make it so that all large energy consumers apply energy-saving tools to reduce even more electricity consumption. With the mechanism that is adopted at the moment, we say "spend as much as you want, we will pay you the difference from BGN 250 upwards."

Social Policy

The Ministry of Social Affairs has drawn up a plan and started collecting applications for energy assistance. It has been increased by BGN 100 - it is now 623.55. It has been expanded and the circle of those entitled has also increased by about 50,000 people. The other important moment is a change in the poverty line - this month it will increase from BGN 413 to BGN 504, commented Donev, who is a former social minister.

"This is a very shocking rise in the poverty line. It will mean that social benefits and financial support for disabled people will be increased."

The Prime Minister stated that the recalculation of pensions will take place in October, as is the decision of the 47th National Assembly, but commented that he personally does not approve of the adopted changes, incl. and the July increase in pensions because it is ill-conceived and violates the principles of social security.

"The problem that came in October with the increase in pensions - it will not be for everyone. The formula on which it is based will take away acquired rights of pensioners."

Regarding the decision of the caretaker government to cancel the decision of the previous cabinet from July 22 in the part "approving the election of the Supervisory Board of ICGB", Galab Donev said that in the decision in question mistakes were made in the names of the members of the board.

They accuse us of things that were not done by the previous cabinet or of things that we are about to do, commented Donev. He added that there will be continuity of policies that lead to the improvement of people's welfare.

Regarding the information that Russia is chasing 14 Bulgarian diplomats, Donev said that the Bulgarian consulate in St. Petersburg will be faced with a situation of impossibility to work. But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a plan to secure the Bulgarian representation in Russia, assured the Prime Minister.

At the moment, the situation facing Europe is the worst since the Second World War, Galab Donev also commented. Bulgaria is a reliable, secure partner of NATO, but Bulgaria has national interests that it must defend, he noted. Donev stated that there is no risk of Bulgaria being drawn into the war, but every effort must be made to ensure that this does not happen.

The change of power

We will not lightly cross out policies that are successful, that lead to an improvement in the quality of life and the condition of the people, said the caretaker prime minister.

"Unfortunately, what we are finding does not speak well. We will try to have continuity where certain actions have indeed been done. We have been three days in the IC - we are accused of things that have not been done in 7 months of the previous government."

The prime minister commented on the change of over 30 deputy ministers as follows:

"Cabinets leave office together with their ministers - these are political cabinets and it is normal for everyone to enter with their deputies. They leave office together with the minister who was in that position. All new appointments are made on the basis of a thorough analysis of whether the relevant people have the necessary qualities".

We will show the real situation in the country so that the parties cannot do their election campaign on the back of the caretaker government, Donev said.

"It's not a very fair game, but I guarantee you that we have healthy nerves and we will get out of this situation. We will not make political comments, we will not participate in the political race, therefore the caretaker government will stay equally distant from all political parties."