Ombudsman asks the Office of the Prosecutor for new higher prices for steam and electricity (OBZOR)

Sofia. Ombudsman Maya Manolova appeals to the Attorney General's Office for KEVR's decision on new electricity and heating prices that came into effect on July 1. She stated that the price increase procedure had been severely disrupted because the KEVR had held its public meeting before the increase in natural gas prices became apparent. Thus, the concerns of citizens and civil organizations were not heard, and the decision was based solely on the arguments of monopoly energy companies. Maya Manolova also referred to other violations regarding the time period within which companies can ask CESR to review prices. "KEVR sent them a letter asking them to" ask "for a price correction, but they did not observe the terms of three months from the beginning of the next price period. 39, one, ten, fifteen days, "announced the Ombudsman. "Citizens can not attack the KEVR's decisions on the prices of water, steam, electricity and hot water, and they are disadvantaged," said Maya Manolova . On July 3, the Constitutional Court rejected his request for revocation of a text of the Energy Law, which prevents consumers from suing the court. Manolova requested that the text be declared unconstitutional. "According to the reasoning of the Constitutional Court, it would be necessary for the court to badess in each particular case whether the citizens have the right to appeal, have a legal interest in attacking the specific act of the KEVR," explained Maya Manolova. According to her, however, the practice of the courts is to reject the ability of citizens to appeal. According to the legislation in force, the only companies that can appeal against these acts are the energy companies. "Do you understand what is absurd? CEZ has the right to appeal against the CESR acts, which increase the price of electricity.Why would it do so after the KEV responds usually to all their demands? This is the case of the Sofia District Heating Company – why appeal the new decision on the price of heating after it is fully satisfied, "asked the Ombudsman. delay of one month, the Attorney General's Office (VAP) will decide whether the price of electricity will increase by 2.03% and heating by 7.33%. "Maya Manolova pointed out that high prices hurt 600 thousand households, and if the decision is challenged by the Office of the Prosecutor and annulled, illegal overpayments should be returned.The Deputy Attorney General and head of the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office, Assya Petrova, explained that more than 30 files will be requested from CESR, and that it will be in further decided whether the price increase will be challenged in court. "The Ombudsman's signal contains fairly serious arguments for procedural violations in CESR's decision-making, the inconsistency of decisions with substantive standards," she said. So far, the VAP has brought 19 proceedings before the Sofia Administrative Court against KEVR, which are not yet complete
Biliana IVANOVA

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