Balgarianovinite.com While the relevant institutions are investigating complaints and reports from consumers in the country that they have received very high electricity bills for December and January, water and sewerage companies have announced that the change in their service prices will take effect on March 1. The decision of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) was taken in December but did not come into force at the beginning of the year, mainly in the name of the euro’s smooth introduction. The change in water prices in different settlements ranges from a decrease of nearly 12% to an increase of nearly 14%.
Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov convened a meeting with the relevant ministers on Friday, after which he stated that the issue of high electricity bills and rising water prices was being exploited for political purposes and to shift responsibility. Gurov noted that several electricity price increases had been approved last year and that higher consumption during the winter months had naturally led to higher bills. These decisions were made before the current administration took office, he said. According to him, water price increases were unlawfully delayed for three months, “only to explode in the hands of the caretaker Cabinet.”
According to caretaker Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Angelina Boneva, water prices in Bulgaria are market-based and were raised in a coordinated manner as of February 26. “I find it interesting who held prices back until now, who held them back until Thursday and, so to speak, who coordinated their increase while I was in Brussels,” Boneva commented. She said she had received reports from the Bulgarian Water and Sewerage Holding but had not yet had time to review them. The EWRC has also provided data to the minister. Boneva said that once she reviews the full picture, she will present more details at a news conference.
Caretaker Energy Minister Traicho Traikov said that a large part of the higher electricity bills are due to increased energy consumption. “At the same time, we must check whether electricity meters are reporting accurately. That is why there is an additional inspection by an independent laboratory and by the Ministry of Energy to verify the condition of meter cabinets and seals,” Traikov said. According to him, EWRC data so far show that violations have been found in only a very small share of the cases examined. Traikov added that the full report from the regulator is expected in early March.
Economy and Industry Minister Irina Shtonova said that her Ministry and the Commission for Consumer Protection (CCP) have requested information regarding electricity and water prices. The three electricity distributors have until Monday to provide information, and the Ministry will give details at the first opportunity.
MPs also commented on the issue of high electricity bills on Friday.
Nikolay Nankov MP of GERB-UDF told journalists that the Bulgarian Water and Sewerage Holding Chairman Lozko Lozev has coordinated water price hikes in Bulgaria. “He is currently a regional coordinator for Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) in Haskovo, while being Chairman of the Holding,” Nankov said. He said he obtained the information from official correspondence of over 30 directors of water institutions.
Bozhidar Bozhanov, Deputy Floor Leader of the CC-DB, called for the resignation of the Water and Sewerage Holding head, citing rising water prices and alleged conflicts of interest at the highest levels of management. Irena Georgieva-Deneva is wife of Denyo Denev, who currently serves as acting chair of Bulgaria’s State Agency for National Security. According to Bozhanov, such concentration of influence over both water infrastructure and national security raises serious concerns about governance and accountability. Bozhanov rejected claims that the caretaker government is responsible for the water price hikes, arguing that responsibility lies with the Water Holding, water utilities, the EWRC, and previous regular governments that approved the current pricing framework. He explained that water prices are set by individual water companies, while maximum thresholds are determined by the regulator.
The issue of an impending water price hike came to light on February 26 when CC-DB and representatives of the previously ruling coalition traded barbs over the matter.
Over the last weeks, citizens have held protests against the high electricity bills. The latest protest was in Plovdiv (South Central Bulgaria) on Thursday. On February 9, citizens protested in front of the local electricity operator’s building in Shumen (on the Danube). There was also a protest in Silistra about two weeks ago. Residents of the southeastern village of Kozarevoare preparing a collective complaint on the grounds of significantly inflated electricity bills for December and January. Rise in Water Prices, Electricity Bills – Purposefully Delayed or Gradually Introduced? 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-02-27 17:14:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
