site.btaExtra Revenues Should Be Used to Increase Child Benefits, Socialists Say

Extra Revenues Should Be Used to Increase Child Benefits, Socialists Say

Sofia, June 9 (BTA) - Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Chair
Mihail Mikov said on Tuesday that if it is true that public
revenues are way above the planned level, the government should
urgently consider increasing some welfare benefits which have
long remained unchanged. These, he said, include child benefits,
 including benefits for families with multiple children,
children with disabilities and first-grade pupils.

Speaking to the media after a meeting of the BSP Executive
Bureau, Mikov also urged a revision of the income standard for
entitlement to receive family benefits.

A planned increase in electricity prices will push commodity
prices up, which calls for compensation, especially now that the
 government's revenues are so high, he argued.

"The return of the GERB party and the right-wing coalition to
power has affected electricity prices. Tolerance levels
regarding the private monopolies - the electricity distributors
- are too high," Mikov said. "The same old game has clearly
started over again: the game in which state companies are at a
disadvantage - in this case, the National Electricity Company."

The BSP Executive Bureau discussed the party's campaign
programme for the upcoming local elections. The party has so far
 approved 18 candidates for mayors.

The BSP aspires to retain its current positions in local
government, with about 70 BSP-supported mayors in Bulgaria's 265
 municipalities, Mikov said.