AOBE AND PP "THERE IS SUCH A PEOPLE" DISCUSSED URGENT MEASURES TO COMPENSATE FOR EXTREMELY HIGH ELECTRICITY PRICES AND BUSINESS RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE 2022 BUDGET

The Association of Organizations of Bulgarian Employers (AOBE) and "There is such a people" political party discussed urgent measures to compensate for the extremely high electricity prices and business recommendations to the budget for 2022. During the meeting, representatives of nationally representative employers' organizations - BICA, BIA, BCCI and CEIBG were adamant that an urgent task for the government is to compensate non-household consumers for the extremely high electricity prices for December, as the funds provided by the Cabinet are only for October and November this year and are no longer sufficient regarding current prices.

According to the business, more than 600 000 non-residential subscribers are under price shock. These are small, medium and large enterprises, hospitals, schools, nurseries and kindergartens, water companies, theaters, museums and other cultural institutions, state and municipal departments and enterprises and others. If no urgent measures are taken, AOBE believes that there may be a collapse - shutdown of enterprises, bankruptcy of traders and risk of inability to supply electricity. The meeting also commented on various support mechanisms in the first quarter of 2022, including a negative obligation to society, as well as the need to compensate district heating for the price of natural gas in order to prevent a large jump in the price of heating and hot water.

Employers reaffirmed their priority for our country's accession to the Eurozone and the OECD and said they would rely on "There is such a people" to accelerate the necessary reforms in the judiciary and achieve the necessary standards for the rule of law, security of property, curbing corruption, effective management of public enterprises and finances. The representatives of AOBR categorically announced their support for maintaining tax stability while maintaining the levels of tax rates and the levels of social security contributions for 2022. According to the organization, this is one of the main factors for encouraging investment and providing conditions for economic growth.

The policies related to anti-crisis measures, including accelerated investment of European funds, were identified as extremely important by AOBE. Among them are maintaining the measure for maintaining employment, implementing a measure for financing the fixed costs of enterprises with a large decline in revenues, as well as measures to compensate Bulgarian enterprises for the unprecedentedly high, sometimes exceeding EWRC estimates, electricity prices and natural gas, direct support for investment and innovation in enterprises.

All participants in the meeting were unanimous that administrative reform and e-government should be accelerated to improve the business environment and ensure economic growth in Bulgaria.