site.btaTourism Sector Remains Ready for National Strike

The regional protest planned for August 27 on the road Burgas - Sunny Beach has been cancelled. The tourism sector remains ready for a national strike in September. This was announced by representatives of the tourist industry in Sunny Beach after a meeting with caretaker Tourism Minister Evtim Miloshev. Hoteliers, restaurateurs, and tourist branch organizations expressed their gratitude for the actions taken in relation to the provision of compensation due to the rising electricity prices.

The caretaker Tourism Minister told journalists that the issue of high electricity prices affects the country's economy, but to a large extent it also affects the tourism sector, as in the height of the summer season this sector is the biggest user of electricity.

Minister Miloshev reminded that the Council of Ministers adopted in July a programme for the provision of compensation to non-household final customers of electricity. In his words, the resource is worth about BGN 245 million. “The money has been secured, the contracts with the electricity distribution companies have been signed, we are only waiting for the European Commission's notification of this State aid,” Miloshev said. He stressed that the aid is generated by the State budget and will be provided monthly. The European notification is a legal norm and the only way in which the compensation can reach non-domestic final electricity customers, he said. The application to the European Commission was submitted on August 9 and a reply is expected by October 9, 2024, Miloshev specified.

MP Zhecho Stankov pointed out the three ways in which the compensation will be paid. "The first is through deduction of bills. The second - through direct transfer from the electricity distribution companies. The third way concerns those who have no relation with the traders - in their case the State will directly reimburse the funds," he said. According to him, the total amount of compensation transferred last month was BGN 139 million.

Earlier on Friday, Minister Miloshev announced that he would offer the tourism sector a solution to provide compensation for the more expensive electricity. "I am coming with a ready solution as an act of empathy and support to the entire tourism sector because there is tension," he said before the meeting.