On January 30 2008, the workers at the Kremikovtzi steelmaker went on protest again.

The workers demand that their salaries be paid, Focus news agency said.

Several hundred people took part in the protest, held in front of the administrative building of the mill.

Meanwhile, the management of the mill is negotiating its sale. Recently Kremikovtzi executive director Alexander Tomov said that the Ukrainian billionaire Kostantin Zhevago was to buy the majority stake in the plant. US ambassador to Bulgaria John Beyrle told Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev that the US company U.S. Steel was also interested in Kremikovtzi.

On January 30, Stanishev would have a meeting with Zhevago.

Bulgarian authorities said they want to test any candidate for the mill prior its sale. The state owns 25 per cent of the steelmaker.

Representatives of the labour unions were to meet Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski, Focus said. They would discuss the sale of the steelworks and payment of salaries.