Our ally is the truth, not myths!

Employers thank participants in national protest for energy reforms and call for objective presentation of facts

The nationally representative employers' organizations (AIKB, BSK, BTPP and KRIB), which coordinated the protest in support of energy reforms, which took place on June 26, 2015, express their gratitude to all managers, workers and employees from the protesting more than 1250 enterprises in 76 settlements in the country. These more than 170 people showed a remarkable civic sense and are an example of public solidarity on an issue that is fateful for the Bulgarian economy.

Once again, we emphasize that the protest on June 26, 2015 was first "FOR" energy reforms and then "AGAINST" legalized robbery, waste, abuse, theft and mismanagement in the "Energy" sector. It cannot in any way be interpreted as directed against the government or the ruling parliamentary majority.

In this sense, we express our bewilderment at the fairly transparent manipulations and speculative interpretations of the data from the Electricity System Operator (ESO), regarding the reduction of the load on the electricity network in the Republic of Bulgaria during the protest. The ESO data itself shows unequivocally that the load in the network has fallen by 160 MW, which eloquently illustrates the scale of the protest. Statements by ESO representatives, as well as by some media, that "the electricity network did not feel the protest" are untenable attempts to mislead public opinion. Moreover, they are unnecessary and harmful, given the nature and goals of the protest.

We respect freedom of speech and the right to an independent editorial policy of the media. Precisely because of this, we cannot ignore the fact that some media outlets, which have been diligently convincing the public that the protest was "inconspicuous", have vested interests in the industry in the form of advertising contracts with renewable energy producers. as well as with other manufacturers and traders in the sector directly affected by the protest on June 26, 2015. Knowing the media's rightful sensitivity to conflicts of interest in the state administration, executive, legislative and judicial branches, we appeal to them to - great objectivity in the coverage of primary public discussions, such as that of the price of electricity for industry.

We responsibly state that burying our heads in the sand is not the way to normalize the situation in the "Energy" industry, which has fallen into a severe crisis. Legalized robbery and ugly management can no longer continue under the slogan "Let evil sleep under a stone!". The evil has come to light a long time ago and is causing severe damage to the Bulgarian economy at the expense of the WHOLE society. Immediate reforms are needed, not the destruction of entire industries in the interests of individual, privileged, non-market-operating producers and traders.

In the event that the "lobby of the one billion BGN" looted, stolen and wasted annually in the BG-energy industry prevails in the public discourse, and this stops or delays the reforms proposed by us and undertaken by the Government, we reserve the right to escalate the protests in all permitted from the law forms.

ENERGY MYTHOLOGY

In society, several myths are persistently suggested and imposed, the suggestions of which are profoundly false and, ultimately, dishonest.

Myth #1: "Until now, consumers have paid the lion's share of the Social Responsibility surcharge, and now industry will have to step up."

This statement is completely false! Home consumers have never paid such a price premium. It has always been paid by industrial users. With the current proposal of KEVR (the price supplement to increase by about 120 percent), electricity for the industry will become more expensive by about 20 percent. Such an increase is a killer for the industry and will be paid for by the whole society, including household consumers. This increase will have a particularly heavy impact on industries that operate in a highly competitive environment on international markets.

Myth #2: "Only big industrialists are protesting, who will be compensated by a new regulation" (another mythical document, which we will call "the Regulation" for brevity).

This claim is also a malicious fallacy that aims to lead the public in a completely wrong direction. If we exclude universities and large hospitals, in the real economy in our country it will be difficult to gather 200 large enterprises, according to European standards. More than 1250 businesses participated in the protest, making it clear that this was an industry-wide action, not just a few top consumers.

No less misleading is the statement that the electricity prices for the industry will be compensated with the so-called "Ordinance". The truth is that with the "Ordinance" prices will be adjusted for a limited number of enterprises that work in the field of energy-intensive production. Everyone else will have to cope and survive the new electricity prices for industry. Among these "compensated" enterprises there will be none of the mechanical, electrical, electronic, sewing, woodworking, furniture, etc. industries. The entire machine-building industry, the entire sewing industry, as well as a number of other industries in our country work exclusively on the international market in a very competitive environment. A drastic increase in the price of electricity will collapse their competitiveness. This clearly shows the scale of the blow that will be inflicted on the entire industry if the proposed solution is not changed.

After all, the large consumers who will be able to benefit from the provisions of the "Ordinance" will also not be able to reach the electricity price levels that are currently being speculated about, due to the progressive scale laid down in the "Ordinance".

Myth #3: "The price of electricity is not a function of the level of wages in the energy industry."

High wages in a market economy are given for a job well done. And the state in which our energy system is found proves the systematic lack of serious commitment and activity on the part of the responsible institutions and organizations to offer appropriate solutions for its recovery, guaranteed precisely by their monopoly position. The remedy for this is transparency in the activity and public control, not demonstrating inviolability and neglecting the obvious threats to the Bulgarian economy.