The nationally representative organizations of employers and workers - the Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Industrial Association, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria, CITUB, and Podkrepa, insist on immediate meetings with each of the parliamentarian parties to confirm the public consensus for the submission of the National Plan for Reconstruction and Sustainability / NPVU / in the European Commission / EC / by the end of April. By doing so, Bulgaria will be able to receive the funds provided in the plan for July, August, and September. At a press conference in the National Press Club of BTA, the national representative organizations called for a consensus on the adoption of the NAP, as the topic is impartial and concerns the entire society.
CITUB President Plamen Dimitrov recalled that on October 30th, 2020, the first version of the NPVU was published, which was prepared by a working group led by Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev. Even before the publication of the first version, there were meetings and public consultations are still held. As a result, on February 8th, 2021, a second version of the NAP was published, which developed the initial document and complied with many of the recommendations that were made.
Plamen Dimitrov clarified that the nationally representative organizations of employers and workers have three specific proposals for the further development of the NPVU. They want to provide additional funds for the three created funds at their insistence - "Technological Modernization", "Green Transition" and "Digitalization", in the new element of Item 1: Program for Economic Transformation.
For this purpose, the organizations insist on the allocation of an additional resource of BGN 400 million, which will allow the total amount to increase to BGN 1.3 billion compared to the current BGN 900 million. These funds must be provided by transforming a similar resource from other areas of grants and low-interest loans. Also, the organizations want to provide additional funds to the newly created component at the request of the social partners, providing a large-scale voucher program for the acquisition of basic digital skills, amounting to BGN 300 million. Thus, together with the planned BGN 200 million so far, the total amount of financial support will increase to BGN 500 million. According to them, this will allow at least 1/3 of the workers in Bulgaria to be covered by this program. Besides, it is necessary to set aside a resource of at least BGN 700 million to promote the production and storage of electricity from renewable energy sources for the own needs of enterprises and households. These funds should be provided through the transformation of a similar resource for energy efficiency of buildings from grants and low-interest loans.
