Monasteries report record electricity bills.

In the Bachkovo monastery, the electricity bill for December is about BGN 20,000. For January, they expect it to be even higher.

For this reason, the Holy Synod requested in a letter to KEVR that the Holy monasteries pay electricity as domestic consumers.

Currently, monasteries and churches are consumers of industrial electricity. 

"These are sums that the monasteries can hardly absorb, or if they can absorb it, it is at the top not survival.

The whole nation is in crisis, so it is difficult for them to support the monasteries," says Bishop Sioni, abbot of the Bachkovo Monastery. 

According to the abbot, the problem does not concern only the Troyan and Bachkovo monasteries, but all churches and monasteries in Bulgaria. 

The Holy Synod asks KEVR that the electricity for churches and monasteries is not industrial

"We are deprived of the opportunity to do our social work.

In the monastery we cannot welcome the poor, the suffering and the needy.

We cannot open our nursing home for the same reason.

We are asking for attention to be paid to us and for the electricity to switch to household needs.

Monasteries have their support, care to take the pilgrims and social mission for the elderly, orphaned children and people in need.

It is a vital necessity for us to return to household electricity again," Bishop Sioni adds. 

According to him, their electricity bills will be three times smaller if they switch to household electricity.

"Bulgarian monasteries pay the most expensive electricity in the EU.

Perhaps also in the world," said Bishop Sionii.

KEVR told bTV that an official statement will be prepared within days to respond to the request of the Holy Synod.

They also explained that energy distribution companies across the country play a factor, as they have up to seven days to appeal the decisions that KEVR can make about monasteries and churches.