site.btaUPDATED Declining Purchasing Power Requires Urgent Action, PM Radev Says

Declining purchasing power and the critical condition of several sectors require urgent and adequate action, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said at the first regular meeting of the new government on Wednesday.

Radev said the parliamentary group of Progressive Bulgaria had already submitted draft legislation aimed at curbing rising prices, describing the move as only a first step toward broader measures.

According to the Prime Minister, the government will pursue a comprehensive approach focused on greater transparency in pricing, limiting unfair competition, supporting Bulgarian producers, strengthening domestic trade networks, shortening supply chains and protecting food quality and origin.

In this regard, Radev announced that Thursday at 2 pm, an expanded meeting will be held at the Council of Ministers with the relevant ministers, regulatory and supervisory bodies, to which representatives of trade unions and industry associations in the agriculture and food sectors will be invited.

Radev also announced that he would request reports next week from the ministries of interior, defence and agriculture on preparedness for forest fires ahead of the summer season. Additional reports from the regional development and environment ministries will address expected water shortages and possible response measures.

He noted that hundreds of settlements in Bulgaria face recurring water shortages each year.

The Prime Minister added that several mayors from municipalities along the Danube River had contacted him seeking urgent assistance over a long-standing unresolved issue inherited from previous governments. He said the health and agriculture ministries would provide further details to the media on planned solutions.