Bulgarian Lead Workers Protest Moves to Sofia

Protesting workers of the Lead and Zinc Complex in Kardzhali have been threatening to blockade Bulgaria's capital Sofia and cross border checkpoints if they don't get the money owed to them. Photo by BGNES

Workers of the Lead and Zinc Complex in Kardzhali, the leading Bulgarian non-ferrous metals producer, who have been rallying for 42 days with demands to receive their long-delayed salaries, are arriving in Sofia.

Two buses have left the southern city early Wednesday morning, while some of the demonstrators are driving their own cars.

According to the Confederation of Free and Independent Syndicated in Bulgaria, KNSB, over 100 people will participate in the rally and the march.

The outraged workers' first stop will be the headquarters of Intertrust Holding, property of the owner of the metallurgical complex, Valentin Zahariev. They will demonstrate there between 10 am and 11 am, and will move later to the square in front of the building of the Parliament.

The workers will submit to the Members of the Parliament a declaration demanding legal amendments to make delaying and not paying salaries a criminal act for which employers can face legal sanctions.

Meanwhile, there are reports that the complex might be declared insolvent after April 20th, which means the workers would never be paid. The latter already say they have lost any hope they will ever get what is owed to them.

It was also reported that the Central Bank, BNB, and First Investment Bank, FIB, have provided funding for security at the plant since its own security guards are also on strike and cases of theft there are on the rise.

On March 31, Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, personally visited Kardzhali and promised the outraged workers they would be receiving their money within a week.

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 at the end of March, after they had been staging protests for two weeks.

Zahariev announced over 10 days ago 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.

The deal for the concession of the Gorubso Madan metal mines has been finalized, which was the condition to find some funds for salaries and benefits for the Kardzhali workers. The trade unions accuse Zahariev of racketeering the new owners.

According to reports, businessman Nikolay Valkanov is 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.

Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister, Delyan Dobrev, says that in the case with the Kardzhali plant, the State has no useful mechanism to pressure Zahariev, becauseitt 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 explained 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.

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