site.btaTargovishte TEREM-Holding Staff Close Sofia-Varna Main Road in Protest

Workers and employees of TEREM-Holding EOOD in Targovishte blocked traffic on the main road Sofia - Varna for an hour on Tuesday, as part of their protest pressing for the payment of overdue wages.

TEREM is primarily involved in the repair, maintenance, and modernization of military equipment, including armored vehicles, tanks, and aircraft. 

Nearly 170 workers at the plant are expecting salaries for the months of December 2024 and January 2025. The protest is the latest outburst of discontent after they also protested in mid-January because of salaries owed to them for November 2024.

The protests on Tuesday were attended by Georgi Bratovanov from the Federation of Independent Trade Union Organizations of the Bulgarian Army, part of the Confederation of Bulgarian Trade Unions, as well as Todor Vodenov, Defence National Trade Union Chair at the Podkrepa Labour Confederation.

Vodenov commented that the Defence Council to 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 for the enterprise in Varna, in Kostenets, in Veliko Tarnovo and all others that have tasks to provide weapons and equipment for the Bulgarian army", Vodenov noted. He also pointed out that the legislation should be changed so that it allows taking on quick orders for the Bulgarian Armed Forces.

Similar problems to the one in Targovishte existed in Veliko Tarnovo, which, however, have been overcome, he stressed, adding that the enterprises 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 people are starting to seek their salaries through the courts, which means that in addition to the salary owed, the employer will also have to pay legal fees 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 salaries.

The protesters adopted a declaration that will be sent to the Defence Minister and to the management of TEREM-Holding EOOD, in which they say that they want to receive their salaries regularly and they insist on knowing what the future prospects for the plant are.