Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry remains the largest organization of Bulgarian business
It looks like only the large capital will participate in the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation
Because of the huge public interest expressed following the adoption of the amendments to the Labour Code by the National Assembly, which directly affect BCCI, we would like to clarify the following:
The adoption of this text in the Labour Code on second reading in the Plenary Hall does not mean that all possible options to stop this decision have been exhausted. In the past few days, a resolution was adopted by the collective governing bodies of BCCI, which insist that all methods be used not to allow such a decision to enter into force. The management of the Chamber is still convinced that BCCI belongs in the advisory body for tripartite cooperation, because the decision of the Parliament does not comply with the international standards.
The allegations of the association of large businesses CEIBG, which is most interested in the elimination of BCCI from the tripartite dialogue, that once on some occasion the European Commission or somebody else mentioned that BCCI is not the correct social partner, is totally unfounded. On the contrary, BCCI still is and remains a member of the International Organization of Employers, without any doubt whatsoever about its fitness to defend the interests of the business.
The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry remains the largest organization of Bulgarian business, internationally acknowledged as organization of employers.
We must also point out that the policy makers did not take into account the recommendations of the International Organization of Employers and the phrasings, which would have reflected international standards. Otherwise, the government still has more to do to help CEIBG better present itself as an employers’ organization - some day it could amend the law so that it says that membership in this organization is obligatory.
What is most regrettable as a result of the decision of the parliamentary majority is that the small and medium-sized business in Bulgaria is deprived of representation in the tripartite dialogue. Even though all over the world small and medium-sized businesses are an important, integral part of the economy, especially in the conditions of a crisis. No country has allowed itself to neglect SMEs in such a way for the sake of the large capital. Undoubtedly, this capital also has its place in the tripartite dialogue and needs representation, but to hear only the voice of large businesses would be a mistake for any democratic country, especially for an EU member-state.