site.btaBulgarian Construction Chamber Releases Package of Proposals for Improvements

The Bulgarian Construction Chamber (BCC) has voiced serious concern with a considerable deterioration of the economic environment, which directly affects investment design and construction, as well as related sectors of the national economy. The BCC made proposals for improving the situation in a letter to the institutions and warned that unless the government addresses its demands, it will call a national protest.

The BCC insists that a strategy envisaging financial, social and administrative measures prioritize the construction sector for the next ten years.

The letter is addressed to the Parliament Chairman, the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Finance and Regional Development.

The BCC insists on an effective, comprehensive, fair and lawful implementation of legislation which regulates the change in the prices of construction contracts awarded under the Public Procurement Act.

The organization suggests that price indexing be included as a separate item in the 2024 State Budget Act, which will help the real and transparent adjustment of prices under the public procurement contracts.

The BCC notes that the State has not implemented its investment programme in recent years, leaving even the capital expenditures, which are extremely insufficient according to the organization, largely unused. For this reason, the Chamber calls for a significant increase in the volume of capital expenditure of public contracting authorities and for guarantees for the implementation of their investment programmes.

The BCC says the Public Procurement Act does not take into account the specifics of the contracts for the award of construction works, which makes their implementation very difficult to the detriment of both contractors and the public's interests. On these grounds, the organization insists on legislative changes.