site.bta12,800-Plus Claims for Compensation Payment Due to High Fuel Prices Submitted

Caretaker Minister of Labour and Social Policy Hasan Ademov told reporters in Samuil municipality, Northeastern Bulgaria, on Friday that more than 12,800 claims for a EUR 20 compensation payment related to rising fuel prices had been submitted by midday on Friday. He reported that caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov and a group of ministers held meetings with nearly all industry associations, as well as with social partners, trade unions, and employers to discuss measures and to develop a comprehensive support package for various scenarios.

Ademov specified: "The baseline scenario calls for one type of support, while in the event of a potential escalation of the conflict, various additional measures will be implemented. All proposals are being discussed, and once the final form of the package is clarified, it will be presented to the Prime Minister."

Commenting on the issue of abuse of the social system for pre-election purposes, Ademov said that no sector in the country has been left unaffected by such practices. He stated that for the first time, his Ministry is actively engaged in countering such practices. He reported that operations are taking place across the country to tackle influencing the elections and added: "The idea was to prevent these phenomena, which have been known in recent years, where the food on your table depends on how you vote. [Witnessing this] in the 21st century, this is absurd."

Ademov reported that complaints have been filed with the prosecution service regarding attempts to exert influence through social services, including the provision of hot meals, personal assistance, and other forms of support. "It is clear that such cases exist. We have already notified the prosecutor’s office of attempts at such violations, regarding the use of the social welfare system to enforce so-called controlled voting," the Minister said. He noted that vulnerable groups are particularly susceptible to such pressure.

Regarding social support during the crisis, the Minister said that efforts are focused on two main priorities: assisting citizens and supporting employment. He referred to the measures already adopted, including Easter bonuses and aid under the European Union Solidarity Fund. He acknowledged that there have been reports of abuse in the distribution of aid, including through the Bulgarian Red Cross. "Attempts to abuse this European solidarity and to claim credit for it as the achievement of political parties or certain local authorities are evident. These are facts that have been known for years," said Ademov. He urged citizens to report such incidents through the Ministry's open channels and added that every case will be investigated.