Mass dismissals in the State Enterprise „Port Infrastructure“? What is behind the personnel changes?

The State Enterprise „Port Infrastructure“ is laying off people and appointing others in their place – such a signal was submitted to Iskra.bg. According to the sender, the number of people laid off in the last few months is not small and because of this we sent a Request under the Law on Access to Public Information /Access to Public Information/ to the Director General of SPPI Ivaylo Ivanov with the following questions:

1. How many employees of the State Enterprise „Port Infrastructure“ have been dismissed for the period from 15.05.2024 to 12.08.2024?
2. In total, how many workers/employees have been recruited in the State Enterprise „Port Infrastructure“ for the period from 15.05.2024 to 12.08.2024?
3. How many retirees are currently working in the State Enterprise „Port Infrastructure“?
4. On what legal basis does the Director of the State Enterprise „Port Infrastructure“ Ivaylo Ivanov dismiss and appoint workers/employees?
5. What is the total number of employees currently working at the State Enterprise Port Infrastructure?

The response to the Access to Public Information Act request will tell us how many people work at the State Enterprise Port Infrastructure and how many have been dismissed. According to the whistleblower, these people are in key positions, and what the purpose of their dismissal and appointment of other people is, he cannot state.

Ivaylo Ivanov was appointed head of the State Enterprise „Port Infrastructure“ pending a formal competition for which three candidates had submitted documents and it is believed that he will be the one to take up the post as director-general of the enterprise. According to the whistleblower, Ivanov is part of the trio Georgi Gvozdeykov – Anna Mikhneva-Natova – Ivaylo Ivanov. The three are very close and work extremely well together, but the question is for whose benefit – personal, oligarchic or public?

It is another matter that over the years dozens of signals have been received by Iskra.bg, and not only that Ivanov is a controversial personality and it is not clear who proposed him to become Director General of the State Enterprise „Port Infrastructure“ until the contest. This was done by order of the Minister of Transport and Communications, but according to the whistleblower Ivanov was proposed by Anna Mihneva-Natova and with her assistance he holds the current post.

Currently, Anna Mihneva-Natova is Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications and one of her portfolios is the State Enterprise „Port Infrastructure“.

It remains to be seen what the Gvozdeykov-Natova-Ivanov trio will lead to. In the foreseeable future, will it become clear whether, „thanks“ to this trio, the Port of Burgas will be closed down, thus serving certain oligarchic interests? It will also become clear what will be the master plan of the city of Burgas – will it be again „thanks“ to this trio that instead of creating and developing a serious economy, shipping places will be destroyed and areas intended for economic boom will be redeveloped into gardens, restaurants and the like? It remains to be seen what decision the trio will take and how they will dispose of the Port of Burgas and the master plan. In one case, the Port and the master plan will work for the interests of society, the municipality and the state, and in the other case – they will work for personal and oligarchic interests.  

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