Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva has sent a recommendation to Chairman of the Council of Rectors in Bulgaria, Acad. Lachezar Traykov, in which she insists that the necessary actions be taken for student dormitories to switch from the free electricity market to the regulated market, where prices are set by the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC).
The reason for this opinion is the position received by the Ombudsman’s institution from the National Representation of Student Councils, requesting that student residences switch from non-domestic to domestic electricity customers, i.e. that students do not have to pay industrial electricity.
More than 50,000 students live in these dormitories, and a large number of them do not have the opportunity to pay their electricity bills, because the prices of electricity on the free market are prohibitive for them, Prof. Kovacheva noted.
„The payment for student dormitory per person has increased 3 times compared to 2020.„, Diana Kovacheva wrote and added that according to that according to Art. 4, para. 1, ex. 1 of the Ordinance on the use of student dormitories and canteens: „Student dormitories are residential buildings or separate parts, intended for temporarily meeting the housing needs of students, doctoral students and specialists.„
The Оmbudsman pointed out that the function of the student dormitories is to satisfy housing needs, that is, electricity in these facilities is used by those living in them not for economic, but for household needs.
Legislators distinguish residential and non-residential customers, in the case of electricity, according to the purposes for which the electricity is purchased, she also noted.
„It doesn’t matter if they are natural or legal entities, as well as the type of object. In this sense is also the case law, e.g. Decision No. 273/06.10.2014 under City Law No. 693/2014, d.c., IV year of the Supreme Court,„, the public defender concluded.
