Blockades by protesting energy workers and miners continue for seventh day

Seventh day of blockades by protesting miners and energy workers on October 5. After the adoption of the energy agreement by the parliament, the discontent among some of the protesters remained and they decided to continue with the blockades.

"Trakia" motorway near Stara Zagora, the Pass of the Republic, as well as the road Galabovo-Radnevo, Radnevo-Nova Zagora and the main road "Rousse-Svilengrad", in the area of the village of Glavan remain closed.

Only energy workers from TPP Bobov Dol, Dupnitsa and Pernik ended their protests. After the agreement was approved by the Parliament, they lifted the blockades on the Struma mororway.

However, their colleagues protesting on "Trakia" motorway accused them of betrayal and refused to unblock the road near Stara Zagora. Their main demand is withdrawal of the Territorial Plans for a Just Transition and new negotiations on the points of the agreement.

"The blockade will not be lifted today as the meeting with the government in Sofia was a complete circus. We do not trust the government, we have been lied to many times. We want concrete solutions. To withdraw the territorial plan from the European Commission and to put our demands in the document. They are trying to bring disunity between miners and energy workers, but we are not giving in. The problem is not just regional. It is a national problem, because if the government does not take the right decision, we will all suffer," said Georgi Gospodinov, chairman of the CITUB trade union structure at Maritsa-East mines.

"I am disappointed by what is being said on national television. It is a shame to call ourselves traitors. The people who raised the barricade on the Struma motorway are responsible for themselves," said Yancho Petrov, from the Troyanovo-North mine trade union.

Protesters at the Pass of the Republic announced that they will stay while their colleagues protest at Trakia motorway.

"It was difficult to decide to stay during the night because of the low temperatures, but we are staying to support our fellow miners," one of the protesters said.

According to the participants in the protest action, concerns about job losses remain, despite the agreement reached with the government. It remains unclear whether the territorial plans, which have already been submitted to the European Commission, can be changed. If the energy workers retreat from their positions at the passage of the Republic, miners will come to take their place and continue the blockades.