site.btaOmbudsman Sues Sofia Heating Utility for Refusing to Disclose Information on Jurisconsult Fees

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Ombudsman Sues Sofia Heating Utility
for Refusing to Disclose Information
on Jurisconsult Fees


Sofia, February 4 (BTA) - Bulgaria's National Ombudsman Maya Manolova has lodged an appeal with the Sofia City Administrative Court against the refusal of the Toplofikacia Sofia district heating company to disclose information concerning jurisconsult fees. The request for information was filed under the Access to Public Information Act, but the utility argued that this type of information falls outside its scope.

Manolova argues that even though the jursconsults' salaries are included in the price of heat approved by the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission, the jurisconsult fees are added to the claims for overdue bills.

On Monday, the Court had to hold its first hearing in the case but the proceedings were adjourned.

This is the second such appeal filed by Manolova. The first one took three years and aimed at forcing the wholly municipal-owned company to disclose the purpose of spending the money charged from its customers in the form of jurisconsult fees.

In court, the Ombudsman told the media that in 2015 alone Toplofikacia Sofia collected more than 15 million leva by suing 21,000 residents of Sofia in which it claimed a minimum of 300 leva before the court, 350 leva before a private enforcement agent, and 300 leva for the action proceedings. LI/LG

/СН/