BGN 1 billion from the budget goes to the mines in “Maritsa-iztok”

Funds for reclamation will only be granted if it is carried out by the mines and not by private companies

250 million BGN per year from the budget for the reclamation of the disturbed areas in the “Maritsa-East” mine was voted by the deputies in the parliament. The period is 4 years and the proposal came from DPS.

In the initial version, the term for giving the financial aid was for 5 years, but 200 million BGN each.

“We think that instead of 5, this money can be given for 4 years at BGN 250 million each. And the first year is extremely important to start this process and the work of these people”, argued Yordan Tsonev from DPS .

The decision obliges the Council of Ministers, through the Ministers of Finance and Energy, to take action to secure these funds.

The importers are deputies from GERB-SDS, with the first signature being the former energy minister Temenuzka Petkova.

The funds are provided only on the condition that the reclamation activities are carried out solely by the mines and not by private companies and/or companies with state-municipal participation. The proposal came from “Vazrazhdane” and the hall supported it.

In the draft decision, before it was changed with the new proposals, it was written that with these BGN 200 million per year from the national budget, the mines will be able to plan and implement measures to slow down coal mining and restore disturbed areas.

The Chairman of the Energy Commission, Delyan Dobrev, specified that these funds are allocated from the state budget, as the energy sector is quite financially drained. The mines had no funds and therefore had to be helped.

Iskra Mihailova from “Vazrazhdane” noted that the proposed amount was discussed back in January, when Rumen Radev was the energy minister. At that time, it was a question of much larger sums, and she was categorical that the reclamation should be carried out only and only by the mines, and not by private companies. Therefore, he proposed to record that the annual amount should be no less than 200 million per year, but this was not accepted by the hall.

All the while, miners and energy workers closely followed the debate live from the plenary hall.

“Everything that is being done is an election campaign. I’m desperate for the way Bulgarian politics works, because no one cares about the Bulgarian citizens and that’s disgusting”, Pavela Mitova from “Ima talik narod” joined in and finally apologized to the miners and energy workers for having to watch this whole thing.

“We were surprised by this point, which came yesterday to the energy committee at the last moment, and I don’t think that such a decision written in a hurry can solve problems that have been accumulated for years. BGN 200 million miners know very well that it is not enough for nothing. The 200 million that we will now give them for the remaining 6 months is not enough for this reclamation, which is estimated at 3.4 billion. It will not provide the employment that is expected,” said Radoslav Rybarski from PP-DB. And he threatened that they will very carefully monitor whether these funds are invested annually in the budget, so that private companies are not favored.

According to Delyan Dobrev, by not supporting this decision of the commission, PP-DB showed their attitude towards the complex.

“You have been in power for 3 years and you have only taken from the complex for 3 years. BGN 5.4 billion drained from the energy sector in three years. For the first time, the National Assembly will give to the complex and if you are not ashamed to vote “against” before the eyes of all these people who have come to see you here,” Dobrev fumed.