The “Podkrepa” union has organized a protest by workers from across the country who met in central Sofia before marching towards the Ministry of Economy, Energy, and Tourism. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency
Workers from Bulgaria's former largest steel-maker Kremikovtzi are protesting Monday against the center-right GERB government’s plan to liquidate the mill.
The “Podkrepa” union has organized a protest by over 200 workers from across the country who met in central Sofia before marching towards the Ministry of Economy, Energy, and Tourism.
Podkrepa union leader Lyudmil Pavlov said Monday; “How can the Minister of Economy say "Kremikovtzi" will be liquidated without giving any reasons why?”
Bulgaria Minister of Economy, Energy, and Tourism, Traicho Traikov said last week that Kremikovtzi is a “fake industrial entity”, and is to be liquidated.
Pavlov urged Traikov to re-think and to follow the recovery plan which has so far seen 14 out of 59 Kremikovtzi creditors expressing a wish to participate in the scheme of capitalization of debts by giving their final consent for the transformation of their claims into BGN 1 shares.
He concluded that this would save the jobs of 4000 Bulgarians and added that if the mill is liquidated because of the BGN 2 B debts then the workers will not see any money as compensation at all.