The National Tripartite Cooperation Council (NTCC) discussed today a bill proposing changes to the Ministry of Interior Act, submitted by Bozhidar Bozhanov and a group of Members of Parliament from "Continuing Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (CC-DB). According to social partners, the proposals are a reason to raise a debate on the need for reforms in the sector, reported by BTA.
On the agenda of the NTCC is also a bill amending the Civil Servant Act. The meeting takes place in the Granite Hall of the Council of Ministers.
Both bills were discussed at a meeting of the Labor Legislation Committee, but no unanimous consensus was reached by its members, said Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the NTCC Tomislav Donchev at the beginning of the meeting.
The aim of the bill for amendments to the Law on the Ministry of Interior is to achieve efficiency in the expenses of the Ministry of Interior, as you know, compared to other European countries, the expenses are significant, said Bozhidar Bozhanov (CC-DB). We have already expressed our reservations regarding the linkage of salaries in the Ministry of Interior to the average wage, he added.
We are also discussing the issue of pensioners in the Ministry of Interior, who according to data from the National Social Security Institute are close to 6000, which is a serious percentage of the Ministry's staff, the deputy further commented. He believes that this problem should be gradually addressed. Bozhanov explained that the bill includes analysis of positions and labor categories.
As unacceptable, Deputy Minister of Interior Lubomir Yosifov defined some of the proposed solutions. The structures of the Ministry of Interior perform activities and provide assistance to other departments and organizations, he reminded. According to him, the requirements for employees in the Ministry of Interior are serious, and the work process is characterized by high workload, diverse tasks and high levels of stress. The high public expectations are also a factor for further increasing the demands on employees, he adds.
Rumen Radev from the Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria (AICB) stated that they support the proposed law in order to initiate a discussion on reforms. This law is a good opportunity to stimulate the process of discussing necessary reforms and measures, and to prioritize what can be done, he comments. He emphasizes that Bulgaria is an EU member state with the highest number of Ministry of Interior employees per capita. At the same time, the feeling of security, prevention of crimes, is lacking, the expert commented.
Over 95% of the budget of the Ministry of Interior goes towards salaries, benefits, and social expenses, with only 5% for everything else, which is not acceptable, he also noted. Only 40% of employees actually perform direct police functions, while 60% of the entire ministry staff is reserved for first category work, Radev commented. According to him, the roles of employees who do not perform police functions on the field should be reviewed.
Maria Mincheva from the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) also believes that the proposals are a cause for in-depth discussion, but the organization she represents refrains from supporting the bill. The Ministry of Interior is a structure that is of great importance both for businesses and for citizens, she said. According to her, a large amount of our taxes is being spent, but there is a lack of action. She believes that there is a need for internal reorganization. We hope for an internal discussion about the fact that there are employees who retire earlier but continue to work, while also receiving both a pension and a salary, commented Mincheva.
The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) stated that a comprehensive reform in the sector is necessary, expressing support only for some of the proposals in the draft law. Among them are reducing the number of employment compensations paid upon termination of employment in the Ministry of Interior, as well as state employees starting to pay contributions in the ratio paid by workers and employers in the private sector. The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) also declared that they do not accept the linking of salaries with the gross average wage.
The Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (CEIBG) emphasized that they refrain from supporting the draft law. The organization supports the opinions on the necessity of a comprehensive reform in the system, as well as a review of the structure, and for the people working in the field to receive their deserved compensation, as they ensure the safety and peace of mind of the citizens. “
Asya Ganeva from the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) said that the union does not support the proposed legislation. "It has enough flaws for us not to give it our principled support," she argued. According to her, the separation of groups of civil servants in the proposed texts is not "justified." Ganeva stated that the authors of the legislation did not take into account the specifics of the work of each position in the Ministry of Interior. "We do not support patchwork reforms," she emphasized.
Iliya Kuzmanov from the Syndicate Federation of Employees in the Ministry of Interior (SFEMI) also expressed a negative opinion. "The proposed legislation is based on some analysis that is unknown to us said. None of the people who signed the law proposal have any idea about the work of the Ministry of Interior," he pointed out. "Two incorrect things are being circulated. The first is that we have the most police officers per capita. The second is definitely not true - the ratio between field agents and other employees," he added. "The right to pension and the right to work are being mixed in a very unfair way. Are there only pensioners working in the Ministry of Interior?" Kuzmanov asked. He emphasized that the "Security" sector is conservative and should not undergo a "piecemeal reform".
5684 | 25 March 2025 | 13:53
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