The Economic and Social Council adopted an Opinion on “Sustainable Water Management in the Republic of Bulgaria.” The opinion notes that despite the country’s significant water resources, their uneven distribution and inadequate infrastructure require a long-term, integrated, and effective approach to their management. The ESC defines water management as a matter of national economic and social security, and the provision of drinking water should be regarded as a strategic activity. The rapporteur for the act is Milena Angelova from the Council’s “Employers” group.
The plenary session also voted on an analysis of the Directive on improving working conditions for platform workers, in which it emphasizes that the transposition of Directive (EU) 2024/2831 should be one of the government’s top priorities. According to European requirements, this process must be completed by December 2, 2026, the advisory body notes in the adopted document. The rapporteur for the document is Chavdar Hristov from the “Trade Unions” group.
The ESC calls on the caretaker government to take timely action to ensure that work on preparing the necessary legislative changes proceeds so that the bill can be reviewed and adopted by the Council of Ministers and submitted to the next National Assembly.
The analysis aims to support the transposition process by providing guidance and recommendations for improving national legislation. The efforts of the advisory body were welcomed by Hassan Ademov, the acting Minister of Labor and Social Policy, who was a guest at the plenary session.
The document notes that Bulgarian legislation provides a certain basis for transposing the directive, but additional legal provisions are needed to fully meet its minimum requirements. Key areas requiring regulation include the collection of information on digital labor platforms, the identification of individuals employed through them, working conditions, personal data protection, and others. The ESC believes that existing labor legislation provides opportunities to develop and build upon existing solutions, including by discussing the creation of a registry of digital labor platforms.
The Council notes that the upcoming legislative changes may give rise to conflicting interests among the various parties. In this regard, the ESC proposes that the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy organize tripartite discussions with stakeholders to strike a balance and avoid an excessive administrative burden. The ESC also emphasizes the need for active dialogue with the social partners, including regarding the conditions and financial mechanisms for their participation in the implementation of the directive.
