The state cannot administratively lower fuel prices, but it can compensate end users, Minister of Economy Nikola Stoyanov has told Nova TV.

The cabinet has proposed that the parliament should adopt a tax of 33% on the excess profits of companies that process and sell crude oil, natural gas and coal. The European regulation from October allows us to seize the excess profits of the companies and put them in a special fund in order to finance the compensations, Stoyanov said.

Unlike the current compensation of 13 euro cents per liter, this time the discount would be bigger and businesses would also benefit from it, the minister added.