site.btaVMZ Ordnance Plant’s Trade Unions Want Urgent Meeting with Industry Minister over Lack of Materials

The representatives of the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour and the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) at the state-owned VMZ Sopot ordnance plant insist on an urgent meeting with outgoing Minister of Economy and Industry Korneliya Ninova over information from their members about lack of materials for the plant’s main production and of clarity about future deliveries. In a letter to Ninova, the trade unions argue that as a result, VMZ Sopot will be unable to adhere to its contracts and will thus incur forfeits.

The trade unions want to discuss the problems at the ordnance plant with the Industry Minister, otherwise they “will once again take the necessary measures to preserve our plant as a leading company in Bulgaria’s arms industry,” the letter reads. The organizations claim there are no political reasons behind their actions.

On Tuesday, Ninova presented to journalists a memo from the former CEO of VMZ Sopot to the company Board of Directors to disprove allegations that Bulgaria has been exporting arms to Ukraine with her knowledge in her capacity as minister in charge of the military-industrial complex. By resolution of the National Assembly, Bulgaria cannot sell arms to Ukraine; it can only offer military assistance in the form of defence equipment repairs.

Earlier this month, Ninova announced that the VMZ Sopot Board of Directors is being replaced. She gave three reasons for the decision: a poor financial condition of the plant, failure to pay dividend to the State, and selling assets behind the back of the State Consolidation Company.