site.btaFive Organizations Launch Anti-speculation Online Platform to Monitor Prices in Euro Changeover

Five organizations are launching an online platform to monitor prices and fight speculation in connection with the changeover of the lev to the euro, Rise Up BG Movement Chair Maya Manolova said at a press conference at the BTA National Press Club in Sofia on Friday.

Rise Up BG, the Federation of Consumers in Bulgaria, the Association for Affordable and Quality Food, the United Pensioners’ Unions and Your Voice Citizen Platform are the initiators of the platform.

According to Manolova, the biggest concern of citizens in recent months has been whether the state and institutions will allow speculation when adopting the euro. “That is why we, the civil organizations that initiated the supermarket boycotts, are proposing two types of measures, for citizens and for institutions,” she explained.

Manolova defined the anti-speculation platform as a civil patrol of prices, in which citizens will organize themselves to monitor the unjustified rising prices and unfair trade practices.

The initiative committee will summarize the data, provide information on price increases on a weekly basis, and notify the responsible institutions. “For the moment, we will start by monitoring the prices of essential goods and fuels, having summed up the price movement of 50 of them," Manolova said.

She added that a mobile application is also to be launched, but for the moment the platform has a page on the social networks Facebook, Tik-Tok and Instagram.

Maya Manolova announced that the organizations have also drafted an Anti-speculation Bill. "With this law, we will arm institutions with legal norms which will regulate prices and reassure citizens that they are not left alone, so that this time institutions can intervene to avoid any speculation after joining the eurozone," she said.

According to her, the experience of 12 countries that have joined the eurozone was studied in the preparation of the bill. It provides for special regulation of basic food products, bank fees and commissions, over-the-counter medicines and fuels. The bill should be time restricted - 6 months before and 12 months after joining the eurozone, Manolova added.