Firefighters Threaten to Stage Strike over Controversial Regulation

Bulgaria's firefighters who have been protesting countrywide for a week now, threaten to go on strike due to a 'disastrous' new draft regulation.

According to European standards, a team of firefighters must have a minimum of four people. According to officials in the Interior Ministry, however, it takes only two - one driver and one firefighter. The draft regulation suggests that the team of two should perform a 'visual-verbal observation' and wait for reinforcements, which in smaller towns come from 40-50 km away, Nova TV informs.

Former director of the National Fire Safety Directorate general Kiril Voinov claimed that in such cases firefighters would risk their own lives and in worse case scenarios the team will fail to evacuate the building.

"The motive is solely a financial one. No new employees are appointed in order to save money. But this economy will obviously be at the expense of the health and the lives of Bulgarian citizens," president of the Firefighter Syndicate Lyubomir Elenkov told Nova TV.

The regulation has not yet been approved. Firefighters, however, worry that this could happen in the next days. Therefore, they are in a constant strike readiness.

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