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ECONOMIC

JPRS-EER-91-053 25 April 1991

product per unit of power is three times higher. This means that we live three times morę poorly because we waste three times morę. I am referring to the structure of the economy, consumption standards, and so on because the power industry mirrors the country^łs economy.

Commission Chairman

91BA0407B Sofia DELOVI SWAT in Bulgarian 25 Feb 91 p 4

[Interview with Kiril Nikolov, chairman of the Grand National Assembly Power Industry Commission, by Mariana Khristova; place and datę not given: “How We Missed the Budget”]

[Text] [Khristova] Your commission was the first to formulate categorical dcmands for changes in the budget. Why?

[Nikolov] Indexes for changes in expenditures were planned in the course of the preliminary discussions held among specialists from the Committee on the Power Industry, the Committee on Prices, and the Ministry of Finance. It was on this basis that the prices of the end Products were set. For that reason, the initial price estimates called for 271 leva per 1,000 kilowatt hours of electric power and 165 leva per gigacalorie of thermal energy. Under those circumstances, the power industry would have shown a profit of about 1.5 billion leva. Subtracting taxes and other payments, a certain reserve (albeit smali) of possibilities for devclopmcnt cxisted, although the overall self-financing of the sector could not be ensured. In January, however, changes were madę that worsened the balancc. The first was the newly passed Law on Accounting, which included in the cost the interest paid on loans and investment borrowing, and expenditures for scientific research and develop-ment and Capital repairs. As a result of this, the cost of output rosę to over 2.5 billion leva—that is, the profit melted away, leaving some 1 billion leva in losses. The second feature that changed the initial concepts was the reduction of prices for the population, after the agree-ment with the trade unions was reached. However, what was ignored was the other sidc: Who would absorb this difierence? In terms of the power industry, it amounts to about 1 billion leva. This led to the accumulation of the 2 billion worth of shortfalls in the power industry, caused by operational expenditures alone. This mcant con-tinuing the old policy of the power industry, guaran-teeing Iow prices to the population for the sake of social stability. If we add to this the fact that 6 billion leva are needed for Capital investments (or at least part of that amount) and cannot be found, the prospect of remaining in the dark will remain with us for some time to come....

[Khristova] You are suggesting that the power industry should be given the possibility of setting realistic market prices with compensations to the population. Would that not add heavily to the already existing budget deficit?

[Nikolov] I do not believe that such compensation would be a great burden. It would cover precisely what a family needs for normal availability of power for consumcr needs. Higher consumption will have to be paid for. There are internationally accepted standards, and it is possible to compute the normal need for power and pay exclusivcly on this basis.

[Khristova] There are such limits elsewhere in the world, but, in those cases, both sides honor the contract. Cur-rently, in our country we are guaranteed steam heat not to excced 15 dcgrecs Celsius....

[Nikolov] Retaining the present system would automat-ically make any structural changes in the power industry impossible. There would be an ovcrall authority over all economic activities, which would deal with the Ministry of Finance and thus procure all the necessary funds. In turn, it would keep down any entity that lacks financial autonomy and would not be interested in the extent to which the consumers are satisfied with the quality of the services offered.

If we are unable to encourage producers with economic incentives and make them aware of the fact that penal-ties would follow the nonfulfillment of their obligations and that they would have to pay out of their own pockets, we will achieve nothing.

[Khristova] Do you believe that by April you would be able to have your views accepted and havc them influence the new budget system?

[Nikolov] We shall insist because these are not exclu-sively problcms of the power industry. In the finał account, they will have a reflection on the ovcrall devel-opment of the country and the living standards of the population.

[Khristova] Do you not believe that the current position held by the government was adopted under the diktat of the trade unions, which will defend it to the end?

[Nikolov] I fear that other unions—that is, those of the power-industry workers—could also formulate their demands as ultimatums. I am saying this as one familiar with the mood of the collectives. They are no longer willing to work under present conditions.

[Khristova] They have already had one of their demands met—a change in the leadership of the power industry.

[Nikolov] It was not a question exclusively of the leadership. They oppose the present management system. They demand financial freedom, improved working conditions, and compensations for the ban on power-worker strikes. They are correct to demand all of this.