site.btaProtesting TEREM-Khan Krum Staff Block Sofia-Varna Road Traffic

Factory and office workers of TEREM-Khan Krum EOOD in Targovishte blocked traffic on the Sofia - Varna road for an hour on Tuesday to raise overdue pay issues.

TEREM-Khan Krum (one of five subsidiaries of the wholly state-owned TEREM-HOLDING EOOD) repairs, maintains and modernizes military equipment, including armored vehicles, tanks, and aircraft. 

Nearly 170 workers at the plant have not been paid their wages for December 2024 and January 2025. The road block is the latest outburst of discontent after a protest in mid-January over non-payment of November 2024 wages.

The protest action on Tuesday was attended by Georgi Bratovanov of the Federation of Independent Trade Union Organizations of the Bulgarian Army (affiliated to the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria) and by Todor Vodenov, Chair of the Defence National Trade Union Chair at the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour.

Vodenov commented that the Defence Council under the Defence Minister must make a decision on concluding contracts with the enterprise in connection with the fulfillment of their main obligations. "Not only Targovishte but also the plants in Varna, in Kostenets, in Veliko Tarnovo and all others whose mission is to supply weapons and equipment for the Bulgarian military", Vodenov noted. He also pointed out that legislation should be amended to enable fast procurement for the Bulgarian Armed Forces.

Similar problems to the one in Targovishte existed in Veliko Tarnovo, which, however, have been addressed, he stressed, adding that the plants in Varna and Kostenets are also working well. Vodenov said that the problems in Targovishte are rooted in bad management at the plant and enterprise levels and the bad policy supported by the leadership of the Defence Ministry.

Bratovanov said that workers are starting to sue their employer over their delinquent wages, which means that, in addition to the amount due, the employer will also have to pay court costs and expenses. He pointed out that the plant in Targovishte has a contract with the Defence Ministry for the repair of four tanks, two of which have been repaired and handed over at the end of January, with the other two still due for repair. He stressed that since the contract has not expired and is in effect, and since the money for these repairs is secured, there should also be money for wages.

The protesters adopted a declaration that will be sent to the Defence Minister and to the management of TEREM-Holding EOOD, stating that they want to receive their wages regularly and insisting on knowing the future prospects for their plant.