The trade union federation in forestry came out with a sharp position regarding the critical situation of workers in the sector. Konstantin Cholakov, chairman of the branch organization at CITUB, emphasized the need for urgent negotiations with employers and state institutions.
The protest, organized at a strategic point on the Trakia highway, was met with increased police presence. The gendarmerie was mobilized at kilometer 119 to prevent complete road blockage.
The main demands of the employees are related to dramatically improving labor remunerations. Currently, starting salaries range between 1300 and 1600 leva, with the actual received compensation being between 1000 and 1200 leva.
Workers in forestry perform an extremely risky activity under extreme temperature conditions - from minus 20 to plus 40 degrees. They are directly involved in prevention and suppression of forest fires, which further complicates their work.
The union members insist on recognizing the profession as a second category of labor, which would guarantee them better social security and additional benefits. Cholakov emphasized that the previous financing of forest activities was carried out solely from timber sales revenue.
During the protest, an incident was registered with Todor Kapitanov, vice president of CITUB, who was temporarily detained during the clashes but subsequently released.
The union leadership expressed hope for a constructive dialogue and reaching an agreement to prevent a potential effective strike. Among the additional demands is also providing higher-quality work clothing for employees.
International analyses warn that without adequate state funding, forest managements in Europe are facing a risk of complete collapse. Bulgarian trade unions are calling for urgent measures in this direction.
Negotiations between the unions and responsible institutions continue, with a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture Georgi Takhov expected in the coming days.