News

8 February 2023

Ombudsman Diana Kovacheva insisted before Acting Deputy Prime Minister of Economic Policies and Minister of Transport and Communications Hristo Alexiev that the rights of students and pensioners be protected after the adoption of the measure for additional compensation of the bus transport reductions – Decree No. 10 of 25 January 2023 of the Council of Ministers.

The Ombudsman also requested from the Minister of Transport and Communications to check how the municipalities apply the CM Decree.

The reason for this recommendation of the Ombudsman are specific complaints and reports received from citizens: parents of students who travel by bus on the Sunny Beach – Burgas line. They complain that as a result of the measure that came into force the prices of transport documents for students have increased instead of decreasing. According to them, the increased price of the transport documents is the result of incorrect interpretation of the Decree by the carrier company.

Kovacheva points out that the institution of the Ombudsman is approached with complaints by pensioners who expected their public transport cards to be cheaper.

The public defender gives an example with the capital, where the reduction in prices is not a fact for pensioners who have the right to preferential travel, because the price of the transport document is now below the amount that would have been after the implementation of the Decree.

“With regard to the restriction of the application of the Decree to persons who have reached the age of retirement under Article 68 (1) to (3) of the Social Insurance Code (SIC), I consider it necessary to point out that I sent an opinion to the Sofia Municipal Council during the public consultations on the Ordinance amending the Ordinance on the rules and conditions of travel by public urban transport in the territory of Sofia Municipality, in relation to the limited right to preferential travel for pensioners – only for persons receiving pension under the conditions of Chapter VI of the SIC who have reached the age referred to in Article 68 (1) to (3) of the Code, i.e. the general retirement case. This excludes people who have retired, for example, one year earlier than the required age and who have the required social insurance length of service; military personnel working under the conditions of first and second labour category; teachers, etc.”, writes Diana Kovacheva.  

 She is categorical that it is unfair and unjustified to offer preferential travel conditions only to a certain group of pensioners, because the difference between them is only in the conditions for acquiring the right to a pension. She also adds that the above listed indicative groups of pensioners are excluded from the Decree.

“In the light of the complaints received by the institution, and in my capacity as a public defender, I am deeply concerned as to the extent to which the rights of certain groups, students and pensioners, are protected by the measure adopted by the Council of Ministers to further compensate the price reductions in bus transport. On the basis of the Ombudsman Act, I am asking for your opinion on the above, expecting you to inform me on the measures taken by the Ministry of Transport and Communications to clarify the application of the Decree“, writes Prof. Kovacheva, expecting to be informed about the results of the inspection of the inflated prices of student cards on the Sunny Beach – Burgas bus line.