EU Consumer Protection Commissioner Meglena Kuneva believes the Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) should pronounce on the excise duties and prices of fuels, BTA reported.

Meeting with representatives of the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria on Monday, Kuneva was asked a question by Mirolyub Stolarski, president of the Bulgarianalliance of motor transport associations. He raised the issue that while Bulgaria has some of the lowest excise duties on fuels, their prices are higher than in other countries. He asked if the EU was taking steps to protect transport businesses from the entry into the market by non-EU countries.

Kuneva opined that the CPC should pronounce on the matter, and the level of fuel excise duties should be analysed. She said an index of the 500 most important goods and services was being prepared this year. Prices in different EU countries are being compared, and so are consumers' complaints and satisfaction and the safety of goods. She said that if petrol prices in Bulgaria are higher than elsewhere in the EU, the causes should be explored.

Answering a journalist's question about a strike that transport companies may stage over the increase in fuel prices, Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said on Saturday these prices are dictated by the international market and are not something Bulgaria can regulate.

Even if excise duties are reduced for a few months, they have to reach the EU minimum level by the year's end - a commitment made even before this government took office, Stanishev said, adding that it should not be forgotten that Bulgaria is a market economy. He recalled that oil cost about 50 dollars/barrel three years ago, compared with 135 dollars/barrel last week.

Economy and Energy Minister Peter Dimitrov expressed solidarity with the transport companies' protest but said he saw no solution. Talking to journalists earlier on Monday, he ruled out state subsidies.

He commented that there was nothing Bulgaria could do when oil prices were rising worldwide and excise duties were below the EU minimum level.

Road carriers warned they would stage a nationwide protest against high fuel prices from May 26.

Photo: BGNES