Road construction workers blocked traffic in front of Bulgaria’s National Assembly. They are protesting for the second time and are demanding payments due for construction works done. The protest is organized by the Bulgarian Branch Chamber “Roads”, which includes 85 companies. At 11.00 am, road construction workers launched protests and blocked roads in 27 locations. The protesters’ slogans read “We want what we are owed, nothing less and nothing more!”, “The road construction companies are facing bankruptcy!”, etc.

“In the past three months, we have been receiving only advance payments- a construction worker said for the BNR- Many people were made redundant. We have no money and we can no longer tolerate this situation.”

We are owed a lot of money and we do not know whether it is better to stay or leave, road construction workers said. Here is what another protester said for the BNR:

“Currently, I live off my wife’s wages. I have not received my salary for months. All workers are expecting to get their money”

“I am owed at least EUR 1,500. Our daughters are students and we are not able to support them. We wanted to earn money, but we cannot get what we are owed.”

“The state is planning to freeze the minimum monthly salary. Meanwhile, the salaries of the MPs are constantly increasing. Inflation is high, prices are going up, but our salaries are frozen”, the road construction workers complain.

The protesters organized a procession to the Council of Ministers and later returned to the space in front of the National Assembly building. Meanwhile, MPs were arguing whether the Road Infrastructure Agency had to pay the companies the money due. Driving instructors from all over the country also joined the protest. They said they were not happy with the holes in the roads, the high fuel prices and the poor maintenance of roads, traffic signs and road markings.

Compiled by: Ivo Ivanov

English version: Kostadin Atanasov