Bulgarian Government has passed a series of measures to alleviate the pressure on its citizens after protests against rising living costs in the face of Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Prime Minister Kiril Petkov on Wednesday said the relief package would help businesses, the socially disadvantaged, young families with children and pensioners.
The measures will cost the poorest member-country of the EU around two billion Bulgarian lev (1.08 billion U.S. dollars).
Truck drivers and workers in other sectors nonetheless protested with street blockades in and around the capital of Sofia and in other cities, against rising prices.
The protesters’ demands include dropping the requirement for biodiesel fuel and cutting consumption tax by half.
Inflation in Bulgaria rose to 14.4 per cent in April compared to the same month of the year before, according to official data.
From July 1, the government plans to drop taxes on products such as bread, while child benefits and pensions will be raised.
The cheapest types of fuel, petrol and diesel, are to be made cheaper by about 0.14USD, although it is not clear how this will be achieved in practice.
Meanwhile, VAT on central heating and hot water is to be reduced from the current level of 20 per cent to nine per cent.