site.btaUPDATED VP Iotova: Bulgaria’s Territorial Plans Do Not Comply with EU’s Just Transition Mechanism

Talking to reporters on Thursday while attending a scientific conference in Blagoevgrad, Vice President Iliana Iotova said that the territorial just transition plans, which Bulgaria has submitted to the European Commission (EC) for assessment, do not comply with EU’s Just Transition Mechanism. Iotova commented on the proposed vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov's government over its policy in the energy sector.

Miners and energy workers are in their seventh day of protests over uncertainties about the future of the coal industry.

According to Iotova, the plans do not comply because the Mechanism says that no worker and no region will be left behind. She is adamant that the plans Bulgaria has sent do not meet this most important condition.

In Iotova’s words, the plans do not meet at least three criteria of the Mechanism. According to her, the first one is that the plans do not mention replacement capacities to ensure the stability of electricity in Bulgaria. The second is that the capacities in the plans are objects of energy security not only in the country, but for the whole region in this part of Europe. And thirdly, the social package guarantees only 4,000 jobs out of the total 27,000 and does not say what happens with the rest, she argued. "How are we going to make sure that people do not leave Stara Zagora, Pernik and Kyustendil once and for all?" Iotova asked, adding that the plans cannot be withdrawn once they’re submitted. "Talks can be held, but knowing the procedures in the European institutions, this will be extremely difficult," she stressed.

"Whether there will be a vote of no-confidence or not, this is for colleagues in the National Assembly to decide," the Vice President said, adding that for her it is more important whether the state will be able to help Bulgarian energy workers and miners.