site.btaTripartite Council Debates Ending Extra Day Off When Public Holidays Fall on Weekends

The National Council for Tripartite Cooperation (NCTC) discussed on Monday a proposal for amendments to the Labour Code, which would abolish non-working Mondays when a public holiday falls on a day off. The bill for amendments to the Labour Code was submitted by Yordan Ivanov from Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria and a group of MPs.

Dobrin Ivanov of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA) said that BICA strongly supports the proposal on the grounds that the main problem for businesses is the shortage of labour, which is a major challenge. He reported that Bulgaria has fewer working days that the average in Europe.

Maria Mincheva of the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA) said that the matter should be examined more broadly, because there are different sectors in the economy, and the impact of non-working days may vary. She said that BIA is refraining from supporting the proposal and wants data for the last five years on how many Mondays were non-working days and how they affected labour productivity and the gross domestic product.

The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed its lack of support, arguing that the issue is not among the problems affecting the business environment. They argued that the bill will not achieve the desired effect, especially since the existing regulation has a positive effect on the tourism and restaurant sector.

The Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (KRIB) also refrained from supporting the bill. The current option provides greater predictability and certainty in the management of the labour process, said Rumyana Georgieva from KRIB.

The Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria did not support the proposals, because it believes that the current text has been in place for nine years, during which there have been no complaints from the public sector about a decline in labour productivity, said Velichka Mikova, Secretary of the Union.

The Podkrepa Labour Confederation did not support the bill, arguing that it would not balance labour relations.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy does not support the proposals, said Minister Borislav Gutsanov. So far, no inquiries or complaints have been received regarding the current situation. Official holidays are days off for all workers, thus providing people with the opportunity to celebrate or pay tribute on the designated day. Another significance, apart from the social element, is the predictability and security provided for employers and employees. According to Eurostat data, workers in Bulgaria are among the top in terms of working hours, with 39 hours per week, Gutsanov added.