Bulgarian Defense Industry Crisis: Workers Protest Unpaid Wages in Targovishte

Workers at the state-owned "Terem - Khan Krum" armored vehicle repair plant in Targovishte staged a protest, blocking traffic on the Sofia-Varna road for about an hour. Their demands include the payment of overdue wages and the securing of work orders for the year. Nearly 170 employees have not received their salaries for December and January, and they warn that if the situation is not resolved, more protests will follow.

This demonstration follows a similar protest in mid-January, when workers also raised concerns over unpaid wages. Representatives from major Bulgarian trade unions, including the Confederation of Independent Trade Union Organizations of the Bulgarian Army (CITUB) and the National Trade Union "Defense" at the Confederation of Labour "Podkrepa," joined the demonstration in support of the workers. Among those present were Georgi Bratovanov from CITUB and Todor Vodenov, chairman of the "Defense" union, as well as local union leaders Nikolay Dyakov and Vasil Nikolov.

Union representatives argue that the Ministry of Defense must take decisive action to resolve the issue. According to Vodenov, the Defense Council should ensure that contracts are concluded with "Terem" enterprises to fulfill their obligations to the Bulgarian army. He highlighted that while similar problems had been encountered in Veliko Tarnovo, they were successfully resolved. The plants in Varna and Kostenets are also reportedly operating without major issues.

Vodenov criticized the management of "Terem Holding" and the Ministry of Defense for their handling of the situation, attributing the crisis to poor planning and decision-making. He pointed out that this is at least the third warning from workers since late November. Meanwhile, some employees have started seeking their salaries through the courts, which could lead to additional financial burdens for the company, including legal fees and expenses.

Despite the financial difficulties, the Targovishte plant has an active contract with the Ministry of Defense for the repair of four tanks. Two of them were completed and delivered in January, while the remaining two are still under repair. Bratovanov noted that the contract is still in effect and fully funded, yet salaries remain unpaid. He emphasized that responsibility lies with the holding company’s board of directors, which oversees operational decisions.

On March 6, a sectoral council meeting at the Ministry of Defense is expected to address the issue, with union leaders pushing for a discussion with the minister regarding the overall state of "Terem" and, in particular, the Targovishte plant.

At the end of the protest, workers adopted a declaration addressed to the Minister of Defense and the management of "Terem Holding" Ltd. In it, they demand the regular payment of salaries and greater transparency regarding the factory’s future. They also reaffirmed that their facility is a military plant and should not be repurposed for civilian production.

Sources:

• BTA
• BNR