Podcast in English
Audio Player
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Meeting between PM and transport operators ends abruptly

Magdalena Miltenova.
Photo: BGNES

Prime Minister Kiril Petkov's meeting with transport operators over their demands for compensation ended in a row today. 

Petkov and the transporters were expected to talk about fuel price hikes and the government's anti-crisis measures.

"The prime minister said that in this chamber he will set the rules and he will say what happens. And if we don't like what he says, we can get up and leave - so we did," said Magdalena Miltenova of the Confederation of Bus Carriers. The industry threatened new protests and roadblocks after May 10.
Later, Regional Development Minister Grozdan Karadzhov, who took part in the meeting, explained that the tension had arisen after the prime minister had been interrupted several times by the carriers. He said he hoped there would be another meeting. PM Petkov has rejected the request to reduce the excise duty on fuel, citing a European directive, which is however disputed by the carriers, who have quoted a letter from the European Commission.

In late April, the carriers demanded the resignations of Finance Minister Assen Vassilev, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Grozdan Karadzhov and Transport Minister Nikolai Sabev for ignoring the industry's problems.


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Commission to assess revisions to Bulgaria's Recovery and Resilience Plan 

The European Commission has announced that it has received a request from Bulgaria to revise its national recovery and resilience plan. The Commission will examine the request, submitted by the country on 16 April, and forward it to the EU Council for..

published on 4/22/25 6:15 PM
Borislav Gutsanov

Public sector salaries cannot be increased by more than 5%, says Social Affairs Minister

The state cannot afford to increase public sector salaries by 10% this year, as demanded by trade unions. This was stated by Social Affairs Minister Borislav Gutsanov. The minister pointed out that taxes had not been changed, while pensions had been..

published on 4/22/25 6:00 PM

Bulgaria and East Timor discuss cooperation in education, agriculture and IT

The President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, José Ramos-Horta, is on a working visit to Bulgaria. This is the first bilateral visit since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and East Timor in 2003...

published on 4/22/25 4:35 PM