Bulgarian Labor Unions Demand FinMin Ousting over New Tax

Bulgarian labor unions blame Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, for the crumbling economy and wide-spread poverty. Photo by BGNES

The Bulgarian Confederation of Labor, Podkrepa, asked Monday the resignation of Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, over the new tax on interest of bank deposits and the draft budget of the National Health Insurance Fund, NZOK.

Last week, in a surprise move, after a number of denials that there will be such new tax, Djankov announced it would be introduced at the beginning of 2013 on grounds it exists in the entire EU.

In a declaration, the labor union voices outrage from the Minister's actions, which once again undermined social dialogue, and violated the Labor Code and the Code of Three-Way Council between the syndicates, the government and the business.

The syndicalists remind Djankov that he is the President of the Three-Way Council and the Labor Code postulates a dialogue when the State regulates its labor and social benefits relations with the employees and the business.

Podkrepa further voices outrage from the fact the new tax and the NZOK budget were not included in the agenda of the Three-Way Council meeting, only to be approved by the Cabinet one day later. They insist the public release of the meeting's shorthand notes as evidence of the above.

The labor union demands the immediate dismissal of the Minister on grounds he is responsible to a large extend for the crumbling economy and the wide-spread poverty.

The declaration reiterates Sunday statements of their President, Konstantin Trenchev that Podkrepa plans to challenge the tax before the Supreme Administrative Court, VAS, precisely because of violations of the law on social dialogue.

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