Mining Industry Accounts for 5% of Bulgaria's GDP - Energy Minister

The mining industry generates 5% of Bulgaria's GDP and provides jobs for over 24 000 people, according to Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova.

Petkova attended Saturday the 50th anniversary celebration of Bulgarian mining company Asarel-Medet AD.

She noted that around 300 companies operated in the sector.

Petkova handed to the chief executives of Asarel-Medet AD two awards issued by the Energy Ministry in recognition of the contribution of the company to the development of the mining industry.

She said that Asarel-Medet AD had paid concession fees amounting to BGN 70 M, VAT excluded from 199 until the end of the first half of 2015.

Petkova, as cited by the Focus news agency, told journalists that the company had contributed over BGN 6 M in concession fees to the budget of the Panagyurishte Municipality over the past two years and a half.

Bulgaria's Energy Minister also said that in 2014 the mining sector had injected slightly over BGN 70 M in concession fees in the state budget, while in the first half of 2015 the figure stood at BGN 66 M.

She went on to remind that the Bulgarian government had adopted a national strategy for the sustainable development of the mining industry, seeking to ensure a clearly-defined vision for the development of the sector by 2030.