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Speculation and unfair practices are due to severe legal deficiency.

We are preparing several initiatives in this direction, which we will put to a vote in the National Assembly on its first working day.

This was stated in the studio of "Wake Up" by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture Todor Dzhikov.

"The problem with high prices does not come from the producers, but from the retail chains. Unfortunately, the analysis of the headquarters that we formed at the Ministry of the Interior to combat high food prices and "specula" shows overprices between 50 and 90 percent, and that of basic food products, that we consume every day.

The use of widespread unfair commercial practices was also found.

Out of 470 checks per week, 451 are serious violations," said the deputy minister. 

He emphasized that a violation was also found in the declared weight of the products.

"We also noticed the practice of delabeling imported products as Bulgarian production.

This practically means that there has been a lack of institutionality in Bulgaria for years and there is a serious deficit of laws - for food trade, control, monitoring, a clear vision and traceability from the farm to the table.

The new parliament must deal with legislation in this direction from the first day", he is categorical.

Economist: The government can do almost nothing to lower prices

According to the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, measures in this direction are currently being prepared.

"An information portal to the Ministry of Finance is being built, where the wholesale prices of basic food products will be announced every week.

Food chains, if they wish, will also be able to raise their retail prices.

We have no right, and we do not wish, to interfere with the free market economy.

But the severe legal deficit shows the current lack of basic levers and mechanisms to control this situation", stressed Dzhikov.

And he added that legislative initiatives will be prepared and will be submitted by the Council of Ministers for adoption on the first day of the new parliament.