site.btaBulgarian Socialist Party Warns French Proposal for Changes in Posted Workers Directive "Hide Risks"

Sofia, August 29 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) warned that the French proposals for changes in the Posted Workers Directive "hide risks" and undermine the founding principles of the EU for free movement of people, goods and capital, and for equal rights of European citizens. The BSP position was made public at a news briefing by the party leader, Kornelia Ninova.

She said the proposal to limit the time a posted worker can spend in another country, to take one example, will violate his or her right to free movement.

"If the proposals are pushed through, we will be pouring money into the social insurance systems of other member states and the deficit in Bulgaria's own system will worsen," said the Socialist leader.

When the new political season starts September 1, the Socialists in Parliament will ask the Ministers of Labour and of Finance about the impact from the likely change in the Posted Workers Directive on the Bulgarian pension system and on workers' rights.

Peter Koroumbashev, a Socialist member of the European Parliament, argued that transport should be left out of the changes in the directive because of the considerable mobility of labour.

He also said that Bulgaria should be "extra cautious" when such proposals are put forward. "It seems that we are asked to support the [changes in the] directive in exchange for an ephemeral entry in the Schengen area or the euro zone," the MEP commented.

Taking a reporter's question, Ninova said that Borissov seems to be accepting the proposed change to the directive unconditionally. "President [Rumen] Radev leaves a different impression: he raised the very reasonable question about equal rights and about pairing up the discussion on social dumping - which we oppose - with the discussion on corporate and tax dumping," the Socialist leader said.