site.btaSocialist Leader: Attempts Underway to Recast Euro Protests as Social Discontent over Food Price Concerns

There are attempts to recast the anti-euro protests as social discontent over food price concerns, Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Chair Atanas Zafirov, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, said Tuesday. He was speaking Tuesday at a press conference following a meeting of the BSP Executive Bureau.

"In this context, it is extremely important for the Government to act adequately in order to contain potential inflationary pressures ahead of euro area accession," Zafirov said. He cited Croatia as an example, noting that inflation there occurred in the months leading up to the country's adoption of the euro, prompting authorities to take corrective measures.

Zafirov also said that BSP is preparing to propose legislation, which is currently being coordinated with the party’s partners in the governing coalition. He noted that the Government is also working on a legislative package addressing similar concerns. "Our draft law covers a broader range of measures and guarantees aimed at protecting Bulgarian citizens," he added.

In addition to concerns about speculation and price hikes linked to the euro adoption, the meeting also covered the upcoming reform of the Bulgarian State Railways and preparations for the party’s traditional gathering at Buzludzha, which this year will take place on August 2.