Vigenin: Let us stop switching between summer and winter time

“It is time we stopped turning the clocks forward and back twice a year. Summer time was introduced with the idea of energy efficiency, but all the evidence shows that there are no such benefits. Meta-analyses and studies from all over the world confirm it: the effect on energy consumption is zero, while the negatives are real. People suffer from disrupted sleep, reduced concentration and health risks, without society gaining anything.” This was said by Bulgarian MEP from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament Kristian Vigenin in Strasbourg during the discussion with the Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas on the possibilities for progress on the legislative proposal for ending the twice-yearly clock change, which the European Parliament supported back in 2019.

The MEP noted that this discussion has been idling for seven years: “The European Commission proposed ending the seasonal time change long ago, with enormous support from European citizens. And here the logical question arises: how will we convince Europeans that we are capable of deciding the big questions of war and peace, of global security and climate change, when we cannot even agree on something so elementary?”

Support for Spain’s initiative

Kristian Vigenin announced that he stands behind the Spanish government initiative to put an end to the time change. “Let the European Union show that it can act decisively. And let citizens turn to their governments, on which the final decision depends,” he urged in conclusion.