The fight against the grey sector is directly connected with restricting labour exploitation and with human rights protection, said Minister of Labour and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov at the opening of an international conference “Improving cooperation: Developing cross-border approaches to counter labour exploitation”.

It is no coincidence that the government has declared war on the grey economy, Minister Gutsanov said and added: “We shall not tolerate, in any form whatsoever, working without a labour contract because that opens the door to labour exploitation and human trafficking, and often – to sexual exploitation as well.”

During the first 9 months of the year the General Labour Inspectorate has carried out 38,000 inspections, ascertaining almost 2,800 instances of work without an employment contract. The fines imposed amount to 11 million leva (EUR 5.6 million). Moreover, the revenues from social security contributions have gone up by 1.7 billion leva (EUR 869.2 million) which shows there is a drop in the grey sector and the exploitation risks it entails, the Bulgarian news agency BTA reports.

Edited by Diana Tsankova
Translated and posted by Milena Daynova
Photo: BTA