The Minister of Economy talked about closing the State Consolidation Company

The Minister of Economy and Industry Bogdan Bogdanov did not rule out the possibility that the State Consolidation Company (SCC) EAD will be closed. This year's priority is to think about the future of state-owned enterprises and the more than 5,500 people who work in them. The future of the enterprises will go through restructuring, and perhaps the closing of SCC, the minister said at a press conference in which deputy ministers also participated, BTA reported.

Bogdanov reminded that the purpose with which SCC was created was for the state to unite companies with a minority stake that could be sold. The minister noted that the structure did not work that way. On the contrary, he commented - an opportunity has been created for assignment, reassignment between state-owned enterprises.

An analysis of the possibilities has begun, the important thing being that jobs are not put at risk. Our goal is to focus state-owned enterprises to SCC in four main key industries - clean technologies and circular economy, defense and aerospace industry, food and biotechnology, critical minerals, metals and raw materials, said Bogdanov. He added that, according to the department, these are the main directions that will ensure that state-owned enterprises will continue to function effectively, on a market basis and will not rely on state orders and assignments, and there will be no more subcontracting, mainly because of which damages were generated for over BGN 700 million.

The Minister of Economy believes that the possibility of public-private partnerships is opening up for these companies with industrial leaders in the specific field, and there is no question of their privatization.

Another effect of the restructuring is related to a reduction in the number of board members in state-owned companies, which are now around 70 people, and with the changes will be between 20 and 30 people.

Bogdanov said the proposals will be discussed with the government, party leaders and members of the economic commission in parliament. According to the minister, this will be a process that will take time, apart from the fact that it needs wider support to be implemented.

SCC EAD (as listed on the holding's website) consists of 10 companies: "Montazhi" EAD, "Avionams" AD, "Kintex" EAD, NITI EAD, VMZ EAD, "LB Bulgaricum" EAD, "Eco Anthracid" EAD, "National Institute for Research and Certification" EOOD, "Ecoengineering - RM" EOOD, "Marketing Institute" EOOD.

With SCC itself, the number of companies in the system becomes 11.