“The claim of Bulgaria’s Premier Kiril Petkov that the energy regulator failed to protect the public interest during the January gas price increase is absurd”, the Chairperson of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission Ivan Ivanov said. 

"This means two things- a very low level of awareness or incompetence” Ivan Ivanov said for the BNR. "The Prime Minister should respect the independence of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission, instead of thinking that the commission is obliged to coordinate its decisions with the cabinet in advance", Ivan Ivanov added.

In his view, the sharp rise in electricity prices could have been prevented through a temporary reduction of VAT on electricity to 10%. "I expect a letter from the European Commission commenting on the actions of Bulgaria’s Prime Minister and other Bulgarian politicians," Ivan Ivanov added.