Trakia motorway and Pass of the Republic remain closed by protesting miners and energy workers

The blockade of Trakia motorway, set up by miners and energy workers in protest against the territorial just transition plans for the coal regions, remains today, October 6. The protesters are unanimous.

After a meeting between representatives of the trade unions at Maritsa East Mines yesterday, the contradictions between them were clarified and the common opinion they reached is that the energy workers continue the protest together with the miners.

The main demand remains the withdrawal of the territorial plans from the European Commission, and it has been decided to consult a lawyer in European law to check what the possibilities are.

The protesters are also expecting government representatives to come on site to negotiate with them.

"We do not understand the essence of the issues PM Denkov raises, so we want Denkov's resignation. No one in Bulgaria can understand what he wants and what he will do with the complex. We do not have any clarity about the future development of the complex," said Mihail Mihailov, Troyanovo 1 mine.

"We have seen nothing from the politicians except twist. After all, they were elected by us, we elected them, no one else, so it is high time they woke up, because we have been awake for a long time," said Stanimir Georgiev, an employee at Maritsa East Mines.

"If our demands are not met, effective protest actions will follow. We want dialogue. On each of the points of the agreement it is simulated that there is an agreement. We are waiting for the vote on a road map," Stoyan Stoyanov, Trade Union "Podkrepa", Troyanovo 1 Mine, told the BNT morning programme "The Day Begins".

The blockade of the road to the Pass of the Republic remains and the protesters' demands are the same.

This morning the protesters were joined by their colleagues who have been on Trakia motorway so far.

The aim is to show that they are united and ready to defend their demands to the end. Among them were participants in the negotiations with the government who said that their demands had been replaced. And they are adamant that the territorial plans should be revised. Until then, the protests will continue.

"There is no disagreement between us, we continue. We will probably meet Christmas on the road, for Easter we will see how things are. We have no alternative. We are here until this plan is brought back and finalized," stressed Stanimir Penchev, Maritsa East Mines.