In its latest report about the state of Europe’s Energy Union Brussels accused Bulgarian energy of all sins; found out that it is in a deplorable situation and on the next day vowed to help in fixing the problem.
The fact that the Bulgarian energy sector has for years been mired in problems that have grown into a threatening dimension and might cause a disastrous collapse in this key sector, is no news for either the Bulgarian political class or experts and unbiased international observers. Private power generation is so very unprofitable and loss-making despite generous state subsidy for green energy that the state-run umbrella company the Bulgarian Energy Holding and its daughter company the National Electric Company are in practice bankrupt and no one knows when they will be able to pay back their staggering debts. Gas supplies and carbon fuel deliveries are almost fully controlled by Russia and the same is valid for nuclear power. Although Bulgaria has seen one of the lowest power rates across Europe, most Bulgarians are on the brink of energy poverty and are in difficulties paying their electricity bills.
After all this and after many truthful and unpleasant things were finally discovered and fingered at by the European Commission last week.Brussels has obviously decided that this should not go on and that something should be done in this key Balkan country which on top of everything is a EU member! So, Brussels has put on its list of energy priorities a few projects concerning Bulgaria and its energy policy. Gas dependence on Russia is to be countered through European funds earmarked for a decades-long and otherwise simple construction of gas connections with neighboring countries. In the same direction will be attempts to exit the tragic state of power generation. How much money and when Brussels will pay Bulgaria is unclear for the time being, but one thing is clear – and it is that this country cannot deal with this predicament on its own and badly needs a lifebelt. This is one point in favor of widely criticized Brussels bureaucrats and a piece of evidence that despite their rhetoric and huge ambitions, the Bulgarian authorities look fairly helpless to fix this important problem.
English Daniela Konstantinova
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