The Association of Bulgarian Employers’ Organizations (AOBE) presented its priorities for 2025. The press conference was attended by the heads of the AOBE member employer organizations: Vasil Velev – Chairman of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA) and rotating chairman of the AOBE for 2025, Dobri Mitrev – Chairman of the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA), Tsvetan Simeonov – Chairman of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), and Konstantin Stamenov – Chairman of the Energy Committee of the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (CIEIBG).
"This year we have expanded the national priorities that we put in brackets every year. Until recently, macroeconomic, financial and tax stability were perceived as a given and were not among our national priorities, but in recent years they have been shaken. It is good that the formed government in its management agreement also includes such a priority," said Vasil Velev, Chairman of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "In recent months, there has been an awareness regarding the Green Deal, but in order to achieve tangible results, we have re-calibrated the Green Deal to promote a competitive industry as a priority before brackets. A very positive signal is that among the first laws submitted to parliament, and by four different parliamentary groups, there is one to postpone non-financial reporting," added Vasil Velev. Among other national priorities, Velev pointed to continuing active actions for Bulgaria's accession to the Eurozone and the OECD, as well as a significant increase in investments in education as a key factor for the future development of the country.
The Chairman of BIA Dobri Mitrev presented the priorities of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in terms of the business environment and the development of the economy. "Unfortunately, there is no major change in our priorities compared to those of the previous year. The first and main topic, which we insist on very much, is preserving the tax model in Bulgaria and reducing the share of GDP in the distribution of budget funds. The tax model in Bulgaria is one of the small competitive advantages that our country has among its partners in the EU. Tax collection is extremely high, we have an overfulfillment of revenues in the state budget. We also insist on a sharp reduction in the administrative burden, especially regarding small and medium-sized enterprises. In recent years, the EU has become a generator of excessive bureaucracy and regulations regarding business, and we in Bulgaria have added additional value to this bureaucracy and created over 900 regulatory regimes. This not only makes it difficult for companies, but even stops them from operating," said Dobri Mitrev. In his words, the AOBE expects in 2025 preserving the existing tax model, real actions to build e-government, introducing key indicators for the efficiency of the state administration, moving to real program budgeting, reducing bureaucracy and opportunities for corruption, applying the cost-coverage principle in determining state taxes, reducing the number of regulatory regimes on the "1-in-2-out" principle (when introducing a new regulation or requirements for business, two existing ones should be removed/removed) and combating the shadow economy, corruption, monopolization and cartelization. Among the priorities of the AOBE is also a change in the regionalization of Bulgaria at the NUTS 2 level based on a consensus national position, such as Sofia City District being separated as a separate planning region.
The Chairman of the Energy Committee of the Bulgarian Energy Regulatory Commission, Konstantin Stamenov, presented the priorities of the Bulgarian Energy Regulatory Commission in the field of energy and the green transition. "Since the beginning of this year, Bulgaria has continued to have one of the highest electricity prices in Europe. Today the price is 461 leva per megawatt-hour, reaching 1,200 leva in the evening hours. At such prices, Bulgarian companies, especially energy-intensive companies, cannot function. This is also the reason why we insist that the compensatory mechanism for high electricity prices be guaranteed as long as necessary. In the last two years, this compensatory mechanism has saved many economic operators and enabled enterprises to have predictability of costs. The other extremely important priority that we insist on is the creation of a mechanism and procedures for signing long-term contracts for energy-intensive enterprises. Such a mechanism was created in Italy, and there enterprises purchase electricity at prices of 60 euros per megawatt-hour, with these 3-year contracts being against a commitment to invest in renewable sources and to return this electricity in the coming years," said Stamenov. Other priorities of the AOBE in the energy sector are to activate the operational work of the Advisory Council for the European Green Deal with a view to achieving a structured approach to the formation of national policies on the so-called green transition in all its elements and recalibrating the Green Deal. Konstantin Stamenov also pointed out the construction of new production capacities in the field of electricity generation only at a competitive price for consumers, increasing the efficiency of state-owned enterprises in the Energy sector, as well as moving towards full liberalization of the electricity market with limiting price subsidies only to the energy poor.
The Chairman of the BCCI, Tsvetan Simeonov, presented the priorities of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the field of education and the labor market. "The first and most important priority in the field of education and the labor market for the AOBE is the orientation of secondary and higher education towards the needs of business for personnel. For years, there has been a formal inquiry to the representative organizations of business about their needs, but the proposals that are made are not always accepted, and the shortcomings in the Bulgarian education system can be solved with long-term measures. The AOBE proposes to introduce a mandatory matriculation exam in mathematics. Bulgarian children demonstrate significant qualities in the mathematical environment, evidence of which is the dozens of medals from Olympiads. These talents must be developed, because they are key to the exercise of many professions providing high added value in an economy. Regarding secondary education, we note that in recent years salaries have been increased several times, and the results of these actions are that two years ago 40% of functionally illiterate students were reported. During last year's increase in salaries in the education sector, functional illiteracy was reported by 50%. As can be seen, the increase in salaries in the education system does not correlate with better results. In each of its sectors, performance targets must be set. Salaries in education must be tied to the achievement of set targets.
The model "money follows the student" or the student is not one of the best models for financing education, because it is about numbers. It is not enough for a student to be accepted and graduate, he must subsequently find a job in the specialty, and for this a quality education is needed”, said Simeonov.
The Chairman of the BCCI also listed the other priorities of the AOBE in the field of the workforce, which are synchronization of the adult education system in the policies of the MLSP and MES, with the implementation of individual training accounts, micro-certificates and synchronization of the goals of this training with the needs of the labor market. Increasing the digital skills of the entire population and, in particular, of employees. Developing a program for the inclusion of persons permanently isolated from the educational process and/or the labor market through compulsory education, through work, incl. financial sanctions and incentives. As a priority of the AOBE, Tsvetan Simeonov also indicated the continuation of efforts to provide accessible child-rearing services, construction of new kindergartens and nurseries, because in this way an infrastructure is created that will encourage mothers to quickly return to the labor market.
The priorities of the AOBE in the field of social policy and investments were presented by the Chairman of BICA Vasil Velev. "A specific priority is the repeal of Article 244 of the Labor Code, which regulates the method of determining the minimum wage. In our opinion, it contradicts international law, takes into account only one indicator instead of at least four, as the Directive requires, and, on top of that, it takes it into account incorrectly. The error in calculating the Gross Average Wage is 26%, i.e. the minimum wage should be 26 percent lower. We do not want this, but we want international law to be adequately implemented. This system, which is currently in effect, leads to a demotivation of workers and specialists to improve their qualifications, leads to an increase in the gray sector and to the flight of investors, and hence - a slowdown in economic growth and the standard of living," said Vasil Velev. Among the priorities of the AOBE in the social sphere is also the strengthening and development of the capital pillars in the pension model by introducing multi-funds and a fairer reduction coefficient for the second pension, restoring the link between social security contributions and pensions, and limiting the practice of continuous changes in state policies aimed at short-term political goals, rather than long-term and sustainability of the pension system. According to Vasil Velev, improving the adequacy of the support provided under the social assistance system, better targeting through income and property criteria and linking it to participation in basic literacy programs, education, training, work placement, etc., as well as health reform with an emphasis on prevention and screening are also among the important goals of the AOBE.
The rotating chairman of the AOBE, Vasil Velev, stressed the importance of the adopted priorities for the creation of a stable, competitive and sustainable economic environment. The members of the AOBE expressed their readiness to work together with state institutions, business and civil society to implement these priorities, declaring their commitment to the long-term sustainable development of the country.
The Association of Bulgarian Employers' Organizations unites nationally representative employer organizations. The enterprises - their members employ 82% of all employees in Bulgaria, and the gross added value they produce is 86%. In 2024, the AOBE has prepared 55 positions, focused mainly on measures to support business in the conditions of economic and energy crisis. AIKB took over the rotating chairmanship of the AOBE for 2025 from CEIBG.
See all of the AOBE's priorities for 2025 HERE.
