Representatives of Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) and labour union Podkrepa demanded that Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev removed Global Steel from the management of Kremikovtzi steelworks.

Global Steel was an unwelcome investor because it did not carry out the investment plan for the mill, Vassil Yanachkov, chair of the trade union Metalicy, said at a protest rally.

The labour unions demanded to have five deputy ministers dismissed as well, including Deputy Economy and Energy Minister Nina Radeva. The five were assigned the supervision and completion of the investment plan for Kremikovtzi, Bulgarian news agency BTA said. Kremikovtzi’s CEO Alexander Tomov was also to blame for the crisis, labour unions said.

According to the labour unions, more than 2000 workers took part in the rally under the motto New owner for a prospering Kremikovtzi. Podkrepa chairman Konstantin Trenchev and CITUB vice-chairman Valentin Nikoforov were present at the rally.

Unions demanded salary increases of 25 per cent in 2008. Average salaries at Kremikovtzi were 600 to 700 leva, but workers were said to not have received December salaries yet.

If the cabinet would not meet the demands of the unions, a rally would be held in Sofia to demand it to step down.