Management of Bulgartabac state tobacco monopolist has asked Bulgaria's Economy and Energy Ministry for permission to close down two cigarette plants in Plovdiv and Stara Zagora, mediapool.bg said on February 11, quoting representatives of the trade unions of the two plants.

Bulgartabac sent a letter with it proposal on February 6, requesting the termination of the production licenses for tobacco products of the two plants. On February 11, representatives of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) said Bulgartabac's analysis of the market share of the brands of cigarettes produced by the two plants unambiguously led to the conclusion the plants had to be closed down. The two plants have a combined payroll of 500.

The move by the Bulgartabac management was the first step towards implementing the ruling coalition's plans to privatise Bulgartabac, mediapool.bg said.

The first part of the plan was to transfer the most lucrative brands of cigarettes produced in Plovdiv and Stara Zagora to the Sofia and Blagoevgrad plants, which attracted the widest interest from foreign investors.