The Minister of Economy and Industry Petar Dilov held a working meeting with the President of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) Plamen Dimitrov and representatives of the trade union's branch organizations.
During the meeting, the parties agreed to resume the work of the sectoral councils for tripartite cooperation at the Ministry of Economy and Industry. The goal is for them, together with the employers, to form common positions on the development of industry in the country. The sectoral councils are related to the chemical industry, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, light industry, etc.
The participants in the meeting emphasized the importance of social dialogue and the role of sectoral councils as a place to discuss the challenges facing Bulgarian industry and increase its competitiveness - a key factor for economic development and job creation.
It was also agreed that the councils should be held regularly in order to be as effective as possible. The need to update their composition, as well as the rules of work, was also discussed.
The unions also raised the issue of including their representatives in the working groups in the Ministry of Economy and Industry, which are preparing the new National Industrial Strategy for the Processing and Extractive Industries. The strategy, which is fully funded by the EC, will reflect the main points in the policy at the EU level, aiming to help Bulgarian enterprises increase their competitiveness and cope with the challenges of the transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient and digitalized economy.
The meeting also discussed topics related to the EC initiative Clean Industry Deal and the digital transformation of the manufacturing sector. Emphasis was placed on the European plan “Rearm Europe“, highlighting the enormous potential it provides for the technological renewal of our defense industry.
The parties united around the opinion that the Bulgarian defense industry has a solid basis for development and plays a key role for the economy. Through it, new production can be developed and additional jobs can be created.
In response to a question from the trade unions about the future of VMZ – Sopot EAD, Minister Dilov categorically stated that no privatization of the enterprise is planned and the information disseminated in this direction is speculative. He emphasized that VMZ is a structurally determining enterprise for the military-industrial complex and plays a significant role both for national security and for the country's economy. According to him, maintaining full state participation in it guarantees the state's presence in strategic markets.
The meeting also discussed the process of Bulgaria's accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), as well as the transformation of state-owned enterprises as part of this process.