Unpaid Bulgarian Lead Workers Threaten Sofia Blockades

Workers at companies managed by Bulgarian "metal mogul" Valentin Zhariev complain of grave violations of labor relations, including salary payment delays for months, inadequate working clothes and safety conditions. Photo by BGNES

Workers of the Lead and Zinc Complex in Kardzhali, the leading Bulgarian non-ferrous metals producer, are rallying once again Friday with demands to receive their long-delayed salaries.

The Lead and Zinc Complex is owned by Valentin Zahariev, now-former owner of the Gorubso Madan metal mines. Gorubso Madan miners finally received their overdue wages on Saturday after they had been staging protests for two weeks.

Zahariev announced Thursday that he had been able to secure a loan in the amount of BGN 1.5 M to pay the salaries, but failed to set an exact deadline on grounds he was still seeking collaterals for loan.

Representatives of the Confederation of Independent Syndicates in Bulgaria, KNSB, at the plant are adamant they will protest until the money gets to the workers' bank accounts. They even threaten to move the blockades to the capital Sofia and say they do not believe one single word that comes from Zahariev.

It was announced one week ago that businessman Nikolay Valkanov will be taking over the concession of the Gorubso Madan metal mines from Valentin Zahariev. Valkanov is a former VP of Multigroup, and currently owns "Minstroy" and Gorubso Zlatograd and has a concession of the "Varba" mine.

According to Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister, Delyan Dobrev, in the case with the Kardzhali plant, the State has no useful mechanism to pressure Zahariev, because the plant is not a State-granted concession. He, however, promised that the government will apply all effort to assist in finding a solution for the problem.

The Minister promised to talk with Zhariev's creditors to find out their intentions. He says that as it was in Madan, poor management is to be blamed for the overdue wages of the workers at the Kardzhali plant.

The Prosecutor's Office has launched a probe against Zahariev.

Meanwhile, it emerged Thursday that the deal with Gorubso Madan is near conclusion and there is a need of just one signature to make it a fact.

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