A total of one thousand and five hundred workers from Bulgaria's Kremikovtzi steel mill have headed for Sofia as the gradual cut in gas supplies to the company started on Friday morning.

About six hundred workers have reportedly gathered at the entrance of the plant, carrying coffins and candles in an symbolic funeral of the steel mill. A make-shift altar has been erected nearby with a plate reading: "Kremikovtzi Today, Bulgaria Tomorrow", refering to the looming shut-down of the plant.

Kremikovtzi workers have staged over the last few months numerous protests against unpaid salaries and the government's lack of interest in their fate. They insisted on governmental help in finding an investor or an alternative scenario in case no investor shows interest.

State gas monopoly Bulgargaz started to gradually cut gas supplies on Friday morning after the failure of negotiations between the Brazilian metallurgy giant CSN, the only potential bidder for the troubled steel mill, and its management.

The distribution firm had warned more than a month ago that it would cut off deliveries over unpaid bills, closing the smelter's major production units.

The sprawling communist-era behemoth currently owes Bulgargaz BGN 105 M and according to to the distributor director Dimitar Gogov the likelihood of this sum ever being paid is very slim.

The plant near Sofia was declared insolvent in August last year with debts exceeding EUR 1 B. It is a big source of pollution and urgently needs re-furbishing.

Kremikovtzi, one of Bulgaria's biggest companies, provides jobs for over 5 000 people and its future is a politically sensitive issue ahead of the general elections in the summer.

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