BIA'S STATEMENT FOR URGENT MEASURES IN SUPPORT OF REAL BUSINESS!

Since the beginning of the current crisis caused by COVID-19, despite the huge flow of information, Bulgarian business has been placed in a situation of high uncertainty:

• Uncertainty about the duration of the emergency measures;
• Uncertainty about the measures, aimining at supporting the economy:
  • Will there be any at all?
  • What will they be?
  • When will they be a fact / when will they be applied?
• Uncertainty about the distribution of the goods in and outside the country;
• Uncertainty about loan obligations;
• Uncertainty about everything!

All these unknown variables put Bulgarian business in front of the biggest uncertainty - what to do with its employees ?! How long can it afford to pay remuneration and insurance under these conditions? How many people? Should it cut people? How much? Which ones?

Bulgarian business is concerned and responsible for its human capital, because for years it has suffered from its lack and realizes that the loss of workers at this time has long-term negative effects, that in the recovery period these people will be needed. Bulgarian business wants to keep its workers! But the Bulgarian business does not have the resources to allow it an unknown period of stay.

In this regard, we insist:

1. Urgently to form and convene an Economic Crisis Staff, which urgently needs to develop specific mechanisms and measures for DIRECT support of Bulgarian companies.
2. The government should clearly explain to the public what damages Bulgarian companies suffer, without dividing them by size, sectors, regions or any other principle, because EVERYONE is severely affected, and in the end - the loser will be the fiscal system and the state itself.
3. The measures envisaged so far should not be limited to certain sectors, but should apply equally to every Bulgarian employer.

We offer as an effective anti-crisis measure to give a leap of faith and freedom to the Bulgarian business, a targeted state subsidy for each employee in the real sector, amounting to a minimum wage (BGN 610), plus the due social security contributions (both from the employer and from worker). The accounts for this measure show the following:

Employees in the real sector, 2019 - 1,777,921

Minimum salary - BGN 610.

Due insurance contributions - BGN 252.

We realize that Bulgaria's national resources are incommensurable with those of the world's leading economies, but we are convinced that it is within the financial strength of our country to apply the example of other European countries that are thinking about their economic recovery with just such a high degree. of seriousness and responsibility, as well as for ensuring public health.

The future competitiveness of the Bulgarian economy when the crisis is over now depends on the timely and intelligent decisions of the state!