site.btaWorkers Protest Production Halt at Major Wood Processor

Workers at the Kronospan wood-processing plant in Veliko Tarnovo staged a protest on Monday against the suspension of operation ordered by the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water (RIEW) after frequent air pollution complaints.

The company was ordered to shut down its particleboard (PB) production line, including its related facilities. According to the Ministry of Environment and Water, the original document granted the company up to 58 days to cease operations, but Kronospan says it has now been given just seven working days to stop production.

Kronospan Bulgaria’s commercial director, Nikolay Bankov, told journalists that the environment authorities' order is unlawful and not based on actual air quality measurements, which, he said, show no risk to public health. He added that the protest is aimed at opposing what he described as "unprecedented pressure for the immediate closure of the facility".

Bankov warned that the shutdown is likely to be permanent and would prevent the company from proceeding with a planned EUR 20 million investment in new purification installations. He said Kronospan has operated in Bulgaria for 30 years, employs around 500 people directly and supports about 5,000 jobs indirectly. According to him, the closure would leave 170 highly paid specialists without work.

Vasil Zhivkov, chairman of the management board of the woodworking and furniture industry chamber, said the measure would have a serious impact on the sector, as Kronospan is the country’s largest company in the industry. He warned of risks to export contracts and potential increases in furniture prices, calling for dialogue rather than politicization of the issue.