Photo: archive, BGNES
The state should not touch food producers because they are already under pressure, economic expert Mika Zaikova told BNT.
“What they produce is when the price of electricity, fuel, and raw materials increases, and yet they sell at ridiculous prices to the commercial chains. We have KZK and KZP, but we also have a very large specula. Provided that the price of milk, bought by traders for about BGN 1, in retail chains it is about BGN 4, with a difference of pennies, this is proof of a cartel agreement. In the shops, we buy Fabergé eggs, she said.
Zaikova is adamant that there is no way to stop the speculation with monitoring, whatever the decision is the caretaker government. Measures aimed at retail chains are needed.
“I read somewhere about 8 or 9 fees that the manufacturer pays to the chain – for entering the chain, for marketing, for catalog and for 4-5 other things. He even pays where discounts are made, which is absurd. So what he has left?” she asked.
According to her, the idea of putting a ceiling on prices is not a market mechanism.
“Water has become more expensive by 40%, without being golden. Transport has become more expensive. Medicines have become more expensive, and so have all the services we use. Purchasing power, of course, is falling. Pensioners are the most affected. A family of three needs at least BGN 2,452. according to colleagues from the Central Bank of Ukraine. And for one person until the end of December, BGN 1,350 was needed, now it is BGN 1,500. In just one month, the average growth of inflation is 1.1%,” she pointed out.
Mika Zaikova also commented on the topic of the state budget. According to her, even after the elections on April 2, no government will be formed.
“Regardless of the fact that it is not the job of the caretaker government to adopt a budget, in this situation the caretaker finance minister will have to make a budget,” she added.
