The most serious opportunity to reduce prices and dependence on imports of energy resources is a temporary change in the emissions trading scheme, said the caretaker Minister of Energy Traycho Traykov.

Bulgaria has its own resource for the production of electricity from lignite coal, which has the potential to ensure competitive production and stability of the network.

Traykov and the French Ambassador Marie Dumoulin agreed that temporary solutions in the energy sector do not change the long-term commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

The European emissions trading scheme is the subject of criticism from a number of countries, which believe that it leads to higher electricity prices and reduces the competitiveness of European production.

Energy connectivity was also among the main topics of discussion, especially against the backdrop of the crisis in the Middle East. Measures to protect businesses and consumers from high energy prices were also discussed, with emphasis on the fact that they should be temporary, well-targeted and limited.

The main priorities of the ministry include the Recovery and Sustainability Plan, the extension of the derogation for “Lukoil”, state aid for the energy-intensive industry, as well as the development of gas corridors, including the Vertical Gas Corridor.

According to Traykov, a sustainable solution can be achieved through a reform of the Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), including the introduction of an emergency response mechanism in times of crisis.