In an era in which the European Union has made strategic autonomy a top political priority, Bulgaria finds itself at a crucial crossroads. The bloc's dependence on third countries - especially China - for supplies of critical raw materials needed for the green and digital transitions is seen as increasingly risky.
Thus begins the analysis of the European platform EUalive.
The EU's Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), which came into force in 2024, reflects this urgency. It sets ambitious targets by 2030: at least 10% of the annual consumption of strategic raw materials should be mined in the EU, 40% should be processed within the Union and 25% should be secured through recycling. In addition, no more than 65% of any strategic raw material in the supply chain should come from a single third country.
Bulgaria, with its rich geological heritage and established traditions in the mining industry, has the potential to play an important role in this European effort. However, according to representatives of the sector, realising this potential requires overcoming serious challenges, among which disinformation and insufficient institutional coordination are the most important.
The changing global and European environment
For decades, Europe relied on raw materials to be imported cheaply and reliably. Geopolitical upheavals such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have changed this perception. In her 2022 State of the Union address, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed the need for secure domestic and diversified supplies to ensure the green and digital transitions, as well as Europe's defence capabilities.
Strategic raw materials mined in Bulgaria include tungsten, copper, gold, barite and other minerals. The country is already among the significant European producers of copper and gold. However, decades of underinvestment since the transition have left much of the potential untapped.
The position of the Bulgarian Chamber of Mining and Geology
Assoc. Prof. Ivan Mitev from the Bulgarian Chamber of Mining and Geology assesses the situation cautiously optimistically. According to him, the challenges facing Bulgaria are similar to those in other EU countries, but the results depend largely on the commitment of the state.
“In countries like the Czech Republic, where the state has taken a clear leadership role in lithium mining projects, the results are significantly better“, Mitev points out. According to him, in Bulgaria, private investors often face a complex system of dependencies. Municipal councils have significant power in changing the purpose of land and approving development plans. When these bodies become the subject of coordinated disinformation campaigns, projects can quickly be blocked.
According to him, investors need active state support or at least a neutral and predictable environment. Without rapid fact-checking mechanisms and a clear position on the part of the institutions, even technically sound and environmentally friendly projects can be paralyzed.
The Tungsten Project near Velingrad
One of the most telling examples is the tungsten mining project in the “Grancharitsa“ deposit near Velingrad, in the area of the village of Krastava. Tungsten is a strategic raw material used in the production of high-tech alloys, electronics and defense systems.
However, local resistance is strong, with the main concerns related to a possible negative impact on balneotourism and mineral waters in the area. According to Mitev, the claims that mining will destroy mineral springs are “scientifically unfounded“. However, such claims are difficult to refute once they have already become established in the public sphere.
Additional tension is also created by the concerns of the tourism sector that mining companies may attract qualified personnel through higher salaries and more stable employment.
Bulgaria's Mining Heritage
The mining industry has long been among the main drivers of the Bulgarian economy. At certain periods, it has formed between 20 and 30% of the gross domestic product. During socialism, Bulgaria was a significant producer of uranium for the Eastern Bloc countries.
Modern technologies allow for safer and more efficient mining from both new deposits and old mining sites. Significant opportunities also exist for the processing of waste and tailings from previous activities, including for the extraction of barite from the area of the former Kremikovtsi metallurgical plant.
However, progress has been limited over the past 35 years. The only major new mining project to be successfully implemented is the Dundee Precious Metals gold mine in Krumovgrad, which began operations in 2019.
Disinformation as the main obstacle
According to Vanya Deneva, procurator and member of the Board of Directors of Assarel-Investment, the biggest obstacle to the development of the sector is precisely disinformation. “Disinformation is the key tool to stop mining projects in Bulgaria“, she says.
According to her, campaigns often portray investors as companies willing to sacrifice people's health for quick profits and leave behind a “lunar landscape“. These messages exploit the distrust of private business left over from the years of transition. Environmental organizations and populist political forces often amplify such rhetoric, and expert opinions have difficulty reaching the general public.
The “Trun“ case
The gold mining project near Tran is cited as an example of a failed investment initiative. Initially, the local population received the project relatively positively. Later, however, activist campaigns changed public attitudes.
Among the claims spread were warnings of an influx of migrants, the relocation of Roma families from other areas, and even restrictions on access to the local cemetery. In a local referendum held in June 2017, about 93% of voters declared themselves against the project, effectively ending it.
The economic cost
According to a 2018 analysis by the Ministry of Environment and Water, appeals and delays to investment projects caused damage of about 1.4 billion euros over a ten-year period. If inflation, new blocked projects and missed opportunities for regional development are taken into account, the real cost today is probably significantly higher.
These losses mean lost jobs, lower tax revenues and delayed development of areas suffering from depopulation and economic stagnation.
The way forward
According to experts, overcoming these problems requires greater transparency regarding the financing and activities of NGOs, better communication between experts and society and a more active role of the state.
Bulgaria can learn from successful European examples, where early involvement of local communities, a clear regulatory framework and benefit-sharing mechanisms have helped build public trust in mining projects.
At a time when the European Union is seeking to reduce its dependence on external suppliers of strategic raw materials, Bulgaria has a real opportunity to contribute through its natural resources and accumulated industrial experience.
The mining sector can support both the country's economic growth and the development of its regions and Europe's security of supply. Whether the country will be able to seize this opportunity or will be hindered again by disinformation, political disputes and institutional passivity will be one of the important factors for its economic development in the next decade.