BULGARIA / AUSTRIA / CZECH REP : Consumers Protest High Electric Rates.

     Thousands of angry consumers protested high electric bills in dozens of cities.
     Last July...electric rates were hiked 13%.
     Winter bills are just being received.
    Some consumers claimed December's bills were 100% higher than last year.
    Bulgaria's major electric utilities are owned by Austrian and Czech companies.
    In Sofia...at least 500 gathered...and the energy minster was hit with a snowball.
    2 energy company vehicles were set on fire in Plovdiv.
    The minister said he would investigate the billing system.
TO WATCH :58 Video 
http://www.euronews.com/2013/02/10/bulgarians-protest-over-hike-in-electricity-bills