Tension on the labor market in the North-West. One of the largest employers - the automotive cable factory in Mezdra, is finally closing by the end of April. A procedure for mass layoffs is underway, bTV reports.
In its best days, the Mezdra branch of the German-Japanese company fed two thousand people from three districts - Pleven, Vratsa and Montana, currently there are about a hundred.
Anelia Petkova was fired in September and is still looking for a job.
"I feel bad for the factory for the simple reason that it has been almost ten years. We were used to it, the other thing was that they provided us with free transportation to the workplace, which was very convenient for us", she says.
Most of her colleagues have agreed to leave by mutual consent in exchange for compensation of several salaries, and the mass layoffs were announced literally days ago for the last 280 workers and employees.
"Not everyone has sought assistance from the Labor Offices, we have information that they have started another job directly, but those who have sought assistance are from all over Northwestern Bulgaria", said Vladimir Petkov, director of the Labor Office – Mezdra.
The halls are being emptied, and the equipment is being exported to other countries, including Moldova.
Johan Popov is among the few who will continue to work for the company remotely.
"Here it is rather hopeless for the region, you see that Mezdra is deserting, it was the largest employer for the region. It gave bread to many people, but nothing was done about it and I suppose that the biggest culprit, as always, is the state. They look where it is more profitable for them," he says.
It is somewhat of a breath of fresh air that the factories with similar production in Vratsa and Botevgrad are preferentially hiring those laid off from Mezdra.