SOFIA, August 22, 2024 – The Bulgarian labor market is grappling with two significant challenges: the mysterious disappearance of foreign workers from Asia and an aging workforce.
These issues were discussed on Nova TV by Veselin Nalbantov, vice-president of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association (BHRA), alongside Todor Kapitanov, vice-president of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (CITUB), and Tomcho Tomov, an expert from the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce (BCC).
The most pressing concern is the sudden disappearance of foreign workers, primarily from Nepal and Sri Lanka, who were recently employed on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast.
Nalbantov highlighted the situation, noting a broader European trend of an increasing number of Asian workers, which has seen a 5% rise. However, in Bulgaria, this labor force seems to have nearly vanished.
Nalbantov expressed serious concern over the possibility of a trafficking ring orchestrating the transfer of these workers to Western Europe.
“These workers left behind their luggage and passports, which leads us to suspect that they were instructed to abandon their documents due to the illegal nature of this operation,” Nalbantov stated.
He called on the Bulgarian employment agency to take immediate action in locating these missing workers and addressing the situation.
The implication that these workers may have been trafficked illegally has raised alarm, prompting calls for more stringent oversight and enforcement to protect vulnerable laborers.
This development has not only raised concerns for the tourism industry but also exacerbated the existing issues of labor shortages in Bulgaria.
Many businesses, particularly on the Black Sea coast, rely heavily on foreign workers to fill seasonal roles, and their sudden absence could have serious implications for the economy.
In addition to the disappearance of foreign workers, the aging of Bulgaria’s workforce presents a long-term challenge.
A study conducted by CITUB and BCC reveals that if current trends continue, nearly half of all workers in Bulgaria could be over 55 years old within the next 20 years.
This aging workforce is particularly concerning in industries such as canning, woodworking, furniture manufacturing, metallurgy, brewing, and the trade of petroleum products.
Tomov explained that the study involved more than 60-70 enterprises of various sizes across different industries. He suggested that the aging trend could be even more severe in other sectors not included in the research.
The study also highlighted the concerning fact that only 6-7% of the workforce in these industries consists of young people under 25 years old, signaling a potential future labor crisis if more young workers are not integrated into these fields.
Kapitanov added that the labor force challenges are not unique to Bulgaria, noting that nearly every European country is facing similar issues across multiple sectors.
However, he emphasized the need for Bulgaria to develop strategies to retain and attract a younger workforce, as well as to protect foreign workers from potential exploitation.
As Bulgaria continues to navigate these labor challenges, industry leaders are urging the government and relevant authorities to take swift action to address both the immediate concerns of disappearing workers and the long-term threat posed by an aging workforce.