200,000 people are missing from business, 30,000 are missing from tourism, because of which the 2024 season is in question. The state must intervene urgently and facilitate the processes of importing labor from third countries, otherwise we are in for a lot of failed businesses. This was stated by Veselin Halachev, chairman of the largest non-governmental organization of small and medium-sized businesses in our country – United Business Clubs (UBC) and chairman of BUTK – Bulgarian-Uzbek Chamber of Commerce.
“The problem with the lack of labor is not only a problem of Bulgaria and the European Union, it is a problem of a global scale,” added Mr. Halachev during the National Business Forum “Labor from third countries in support of Bulgarian business”. organized today in Sofia – Hotel Balkan by OBC.
According to the chairman of the association, urgent measures should be taken to facilitate the entry of workers from third countries such as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, India, Vietnam, Tajikistan. At the moment, the procedure is cumbersome, waiting for months for classes at the World Visa Center, and in our consular services they work with old equipment and with a greatly reduced staff. “Business cannot wait – we already know of dozens of cases in which, due to delays and cumbersome procedures, our members, usually manufacturers, hoteliers, restaurateurs, are forced to close. In Bulgaria, the need for welders and nurses is the most acute,” said Veselin Halachev. He specified that Uzbekistan is ready to send its personnel to our country, as well as to train them in their centers, as long as the Bulgarian authorities support and facilitate the process. There is also a huge labor shortage in agriculture, logistics, transport and construction.
The idea of greater efficiency in the processing of documents was also supported by the Deputy Minister of Economy Nikolay Pavlov, who reminded that his department had initiated a serious analysis of the problem and that a digital platform, a blue card, has been operating since the beginning of April, which will digitize the processes for recruitment of foreign workers in our country. Pavlov suggested that the 60 commercial attachés abroad should also be involved in attracting highly qualified personnel.
“The subject of the labor force is underestimated, it is being worked on piecemeal, and since 2017 the problems have been deepening,” said GERB deputy Denitsa Sacheva. According to Sacheva, the topic of the labor market should be the leading one in social policy. She is convinced that forums like this one – where legislators, administration and business meet – are extremely useful.
MP Vanina Vecina also called for unification of the institutions in the name of the common cause. According to BSP MP Dragomir Stoynev, there is no consistent policy on the issue of the workforce. Her absence was also felt in the administration.
The discussion was also attended by representatives of the Employment Agency at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the Migration Directorate at the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, teachers, experts, business representatives, as well as a representative of the Ministry of Labor and Poverty Alleviation of Uzbekistan.
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