EU Road Transport Mobility Package Adopted, Bulgaria Votes NAY

According to Jordan Arabadjiev during the discussion in Brussels some of the states which we hoped of taking our side "betrayed us for the sake of agreements on other issues they were interested in", reports BNT.

Debates on the reforms lasted 14 hours but states remain devided on their stands. Bulgaria voted against new regulations as they did not meet the demands of the Bulgarian transportation sector. A total of eight countries, mainly from Eastern and Central Europe, disapproved of the mobility package. Nevertheless it was adopted.

The amendments of the road transport mobility package referred to conditions such as the drivers' return to the home countriy of the operator company once in 4 weeks and spending their weekly off days out of the truck cabin. Hauliers have to make a 5-day break between two series of cabotage transportation. The package includes the introducing by 2024 of tahometer to monitor drivers' rests.

The status of posted workers will be implemented in international transportation services and payment will be done according to conditions in the country of the haulage service.

Western countries such as France, Germany and Austria consider the adopted amendments great progress in harmonizing social rights of the sector's employees. Bulgaria and the countries which voted NAY find the agreement "disproportional" and "discriminatory".

Bulgarian government promised Tuesday to try to postpone the implementation of the decision. Meanwhile Bulgarian hauliers threatened with protests in Brussels and in Bucharest /which is to take the Presidency of the Council of the EU from January/.