NW 14:46:31 10-09-2020
LG1457NW.117
117 POLITICS - ECONOMY - EMPLOYERS - DECLARATION

Influential Employer Organization
Bashes "Politically Motivated
Interference in Businesses"


Sofia, September 10 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA) issued a declaration on Thursday against what it described as "politically motivated interference in businesses." "There is a growing sense of a lack of rule of law and security for private property," the influential employer organization argued.

BICA's declaration catalogues the issues they believe have led to a prevailing opinion that Bulgaria's development in recent years has been sluggish and the gap with the other EU Member States in transition is broadening. They mention "a problem-ridden business environment, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises which employ three-quarters of workers in the country and generate two-thirds of the gross value added". "Public procurement is insufficiently transparent and controlled, leaving a feeling that public contracts are lobbyist and partisan and are used to feed circles of the 'right' companies. Corruption is sensed every day and everywhere. E-government has been desperately slow to roll out. Energy prices, which are key for any production, are formed in a non-market, lobbyist and traitorous manner. The quality of law-making and legislation is poor, and the laws are enforced selectively."

According to BICA, while these are just a few of all outstanding problems, what is most disturbing is that two "macabre practices" stand out ever more often: "using the state machinery to steal businesses and using the law-enforcement authorities to intimidate politically defiant [business people]".

BICA says that its declaration was prompted, among other things, by a notorious recent case in which the owner of a chain of toy stores incurred simultaneous audits by three government institutions after he complained on social media of police who pepper-sprayed his 17-year-old son during a large-scale anti-government protest in Sofia on September 2.

"A lack of rule of law and insecurity for private ownership, inadequate regulation and corruption result in low investment levels, slow GDP growth and low living standards, and widening disparities with the other former Soviet bloc countries in material and spiritual terms", BICA says.

In this situation, a significant part of Bulgarian businesses are leaving the country - just as a significant part of Bulgarian people have done, BICA says.

They insist that "businesses and all their executives and employees have equal and irrevocable civil rights and responsibilities, including the responsibility to protest and protect social peace". "Any interference in businesses by the State and its law-enforcement authorities against the free will and political choice or political actions of business owners and employees is a crime which must be prosecuted and punished," the declaration reads.

Established in 1996, BICA is one of the largest and most influential employer organizations in Bulgaria. It is representative at the national level and sits on the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation together with the Government and the trade unions. BICA represents three-quarters of economic activities in Bulgaria and affiliates over 10,000 companies with close to 500,000 employees. LN
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