“Even if we live in the most beautiful house, we cannot help but care about what is happening outside. So with business - it is not limited to the office door. It must be an active participant in society - to support social infrastructure and vulnerable communities“, said the Minister of Labor and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov. He participated in an information event on the topic “Responsible business behavior - the path of the entrepreneur“, organized by the Executive Agency for the Promotion of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.
He emphasized the need to combat the shadow economy, which, although decreased from 30% to 22 - 23%, still represents a serious challenge. “We discussed with the employers' organizations how to deal with this problem. The state must stimulate the enlightenment of business and support responsible companies that invest not only in their own development, but also in society“, he pointed out.
Minister Gutsanov also highlighted the shortage of personnel as another important problem facing business in Bulgaria. “Employers need specialists, but we often have to rely on labor from abroad, and a large part of these personnel use Bulgaria as a springboard to Western Europe because of the better pay and opportunities there“, Gutsanov said.
In this regard, he emphasized the role of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (MLSP) as a gathering center between employers, employees and the state. “Employers must encourage their employees to train and retrain. This is no longer a luxury, but a necessity in the dynamic economic environment and the rapid advancement of technologies. The MLSP provides various opportunities to support businesses through retraining measures and additional training,“ Minister Gutsanov specified. He announced that next week, inspections will be carried out on how the funds under these programs are used to ensure their effectiveness.
He also drew attention to the support for vulnerable groups, noting that the state allocates significant funds for their integration. “Through these measures, we help both people in difficult situations and the economy“, he added. In conclusion, Minister Gutsanov emphasized the importance of the social economy, which is experiencing significant growth in our country. “When the MLSP project for the development of the social economy under the National Recovery and Sustainability Plan was launched, there were only 41 social enterprises in the country, and today there are 180“, he said.