A meeting was held with representatives of “Mondi Group” in February to discuss opportunities for attracting a new investor, with the aim of preserving as many jobs and facilities as possible at the paper mill site in Stamboliyski. This was announced by the Minister of Economy and Industry, Peter Dilov, during parliamentary question time, in response to a question concerning the actions and commitments being undertaken by the state to safeguard the integrity of the Stamboliyski plant, in the event that “Mondi” decides to sell the site to an investor who does not intend to continue paper and pulp production.
“The Ministry of Economy and Industry is fully engaged with the issue and is actively holding meetings with the stakeholders involved. In view of the investor’s stated intention to cease paper production at the site and withdraw the company from the country, the primary objective remains to secure a new investor, create opportunities for protection of the existing jobs, and preserve the plant’s production capacity,” the Minister of Economy stated.
Minister Dilov noted that various options are being considered, but the priority remains ensuring employment and safeguarding the production infrastructure of the facility. He added that, in the search for a new investor, addressing the environmental challenges that existed during “Mondi’s” operational period will also be of critical importance.
He provided a chronological account of the actions taken by the Ministry of Economy and Industry following “Mondi’s” official announcement on 25 October 2024 regarding the closure of its plant in Bulgaria, which was published on the online platform of the “Financial Times”. Dilov also reported that the Ministry received a formal notification from the Mayor of Stamboliyski Municipality, informing them of the plant’s closure.
“In this regard, meetings were held with the company’s management and representatives of the workforce as early as the end of 2024, with the aim of clarifying the circumstances surrounding the suspension of operations and gaining greater clarity about the future of one of the oldest paper and pulp production facilities in the country,” he emphasised. He added that, despite these efforts, no concrete information was received regarding whether a sale of the production facilities and warehouse infrastructure was planned, or whether negotiations with another investor were underway.
Due to the lack of clarity, the Ministry sent an official letter to the headquarters of “Mondi Group” in the United Kingdom, seeking clarification on the company’s future intentions for the Stamboliyski plant and extending an invitation to the company’s management to enter into negotiations. “In response, two letters were received – one from the group’s regional division in Austria, and another from the headquarters in the United Kingdom. Both confirmed that the decision to cease operations and withdraw the company is final, but also expressed a willingness to cooperate with the Ministry and local authorities to ensure a smooth transition – including the search for a new investor, provision of compensation for employees, opportunities for retraining, and other supportive measures,” the Minister of Economy emphasised.