News

13 December 2023

Today dozens of citizens from Blagoevgrad and the Region shared their problems with the team of Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva, headed by Deputy Ombudsman Elena Cherneva in an away reception office at the Regional Administration Headquarters.

Citizens complained about the whole range of problems that involve violations of their rights – from cumbersome and pretending administration, power cuts, disagreement with retirement pension decisions, delayed decisions of Territorial Expert Medical Boards (TEMBs) to real estate cases and indebtedness crisis due to so-called fast-track loans.

Elena Cherneva informed the local media that the institution of the National Ombudsman had received over 400 complaints from the region of Blagoevgrad since the beginning of the year, the most frequent complaints being mainly about violations of social rights and consumer rights.

“Acting on the violation of citizens’ rights where TEMB decisions are delayed, the Ombudsman submitted a bill to amend the Persons with Disabilities Act; the bill was approved in January 2023 and thus gave ‘a breath of air’ to such citizens,” the Deputy Ombudsman informed the local media.

Further Elena Cherneva said that the complaints from Blagoevgrad residents about violations of social rights most often pertain to pensions, compensations, applications for council flats and that the response of the institution of the Ombudsman was as quick as possible.

“A large group of citizens complained about violations of their consumer rights. Today a complaint was lodged to that effect by a resident of Akaciite neighborhood in the village of Gorno Hursovo where there has never been any electricity supply. The Ombudsman institution believes that it is a duty of the municipal authorities and of the power distribution company, so our reaction will be very quick,” Elena Cherneva emphasized.

Also, she devoted major attention to another very serious problem that is brought up to the Ombudsman’s team in all reception offices around the country. It involves the enforcement proceedings in the event of defaulted fast loans and the indebtedness of people. The Deputy Ombudsman emphasized that Prof. Kovacheva had repeatedly submitted proposals, opinions and recommendations to the National Assembly to ask it to adopt a regulation on the operation of the debt collection companies and insisted on the passage of a Bankruptcy Act for Individuals or the so-called voluntary bankruptcy proceedings to give people a second chance.

“Bulgaria is the only country in the European Union where there is not such a piece of legislation in place and citizens are chained to their debt for life,” Mrs. Cherneva pointed out.