Ivan Ivanov

Consumers in Bulgaria are set to face an increase in natural gas prices by approximately 7.5% starting next month. This announcement emerged from the recent public session of the energy regulator, where the proposal put forward by "Bulgargaz" was deliberated. The proposed rate for the blue fuel is expected to be around BGN 87 per megawatt hour, exclusive of taxes and levies.

The current mayor of Ruse Pencho Milkov from the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) won 60.5% of the votes in yesterday's runoff, and his rival Ivan Ivanov from GERB-SDS got 33%, according to the exit poll of the Trend Research Center.

The Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (EWRC) confirmed the price of natural gas for the month of August in the amount of 59.67 leva/MWh, excluding access, transmission, excise and VAT prices. At this price, "Bulgargaz" EAD will sell natural gas to final suppliers and to persons who have been issued a license for the production and transmission of thermal energy.

The bodies of the two boys who drowned yesterday afternoon in the river "Osam" near Letnitsa have been found and removed with the help of a professional diver.

The prosecutor's office initiated pre-trial proceedings for the incident and began an investigation.

Natural gas will become cheaper by about 8 percent in July and will be sold for about 60.50 leva per megawatt hour. This was announced by the executive director of Bulgargaz, Denitsa Zlateva, during the public discussion of prices.

Between 4% and 5% will be the price increase of household electricity from July 1 due to the inclusion in the mix of more expensive electricity from TPP "Maritsa Iztok 2", which was done by the order of the former energy minister Rosen Hristov.

"The order to increase the price of electricity is a reflection of everything that has been happening during the last 10 months of the caretaker government". This opinion was expressed by former energy minister Alexander Nikolov on the National Television.

The price of water in the Sofia region is expected to increase by 44 percent. The price for the delivery, removal and purification of water should rise to BGN 3.69 per cubic meter including VAT. The Commission for Energy and Water Regulation discussed the upcoming increase in the price of water to start from July 1 in Sofia and Pernik regions.

Natural gas will be nearly 30% cheaper from February and will be sold for about BGN 130 per megawatt hour without taxes and levies. This was stated by the executive director of "Bulgargaz" Denitsa Zlateva during the price discussion at the energy regulator.

She also indicated the reasons for this reduction:

The Bulgarian "Chiren" gas field is 80.27% full - the mandatory minimum required by the EU for stocking up for the winter.

This is according to the data published on Wednesday by the organization "Gas Infrastructure Europe", which monitors the level of reservoirs in Europe.