site.btaOmbudsman Submits Report on 2017 Activities

Sofia, March 30 (BTA) - Ombudsman Maya Manolova submitted on Friday an annual activity report for 2017. The report is 400 pages long.

She told a news briefing in Parliament that in 2017, complaints in connection to over-indebtedness increased to 1,752.

Citizens find it increasingly hard to pay their obligations to banks, fast loan companies, leasing companies and utilities.

In 2017, 34,908 people sought assistance from the Ombudsman. Some 22,369 people were received and advised at the reception office. Compared with 2016 the number of complaints increased by 20 per cent to 12,635, said Manolova. "We are now in a situation when we are competing with ourselves," adding that 2016 was also a year of hard work.

In 2017, 12,539 complaints were resolved and over 1,800 recommendations were issued to various institutions. One in two recommendations has been complied with. The majority of complaints were against monopolies such as water, electricity, heating and gas utilities. The next group concerns the protection of social, rights back wages, labour exploitation, problems with retirement, social benefits. The third group of complaints is related to enforcement proceedings.

In 2017, employees of the Ombudsman visited 97 places in connection with concrete problems. Her office launched ten legislative initiatives, that concluded with resolutions, said Manolova.

Manolova said that her office plans to see through a personal bankruptcy bill by the end of the year and submit legislative amendments which will limit the excessive powers of the banks especially during the court proceedings.