Bulgaria launches online poll on whether to stay on summer or winter time
Following the European Commission’s recommendation for EU countries to scrap the twice-yearly time changes, Bulgaria’s government has launched an online poll asking people whether they would prefer to be permanently on summer or winter time.
On September 12, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, confirming that the Commission would comply with the findings of an EU-wide survey, said that it was proposing scrapping the time changes that have been happening every year in March and October.
Under the Commission’s proposal, each EU country would notify by April 2019 whether it intends to apply permanent summer or wintertime.
The last mandatory change to summertime would take place on March 31 2019. After that, the EU member states wishing to permanently switch back to wintertime would still be able to make one last seasonal clock change on October 27, would no longer be possible.
Bulgarians may take part in the poll at http://www.euaffairs.government.bg/page.php?c=24&d=15676. Registration is required. The poll is open until October 11.
Speaking in a television interview on September 28, Bulgaria’s Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev said that there was no need for a referendum on the issue, but a representative survey should be conducted.
He said that specialists should be consulted on the question, but predicted that most Bulgarians would prefer to remain permanently on summer time.
(Photo: flickr.com/photos/arjanrichter/)
