UNWE Was A Host of Tripartite Meeting

The alteration and complement of Art.328, Para 1, item 10 of the Labour Code and modifications in other normative regulations related to it was the leading topic of tripartite meeting by the participation of Syndicates, Rectors and representatives of the educational and social ministries. It was discussed the issue of cancelation or alteration of Art.328, Para 1, item 10 which is a ground for the employers to terminate the labour contract of professors, associate professors or doctors of science at turning the determined age. According to it the full-tenure lecturers can be pensioned off by the Managing body at turning 65 years. Meanwhile the assistants and employees can work while they wish.

As a main Forum organizer Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lilyana Valcheva, Chairwoman of the Higher Education and Science Syndicate to the Independent Syndicates Confederation in Bulgaria exposed the Syndicate positions about the alteration in the Labour Code and modifications in other normative regulations related to it. She outlined two ways to be solved the issue. The first way envisages the cancelation of the disputable article and the second one – its alteration.

From the left to the right: Lyubomir Yosifov, Ministry of Education, Youth and Science, Assoc. Prof. Lilyana Valcheva, Minister Sergey Ignatov, Prof. D.Sc. (Econ.) Statty Stattev, Corr. Mbr. Prof. Nikolai Miloshev, Deputy Chairman of the Bulgarian Academy of Science

Universities differ in their profile and state of their professionals so it shouldn`t be taken away the right of Rectors to carry out an independent policy within the frameworks of the law. In this sense it`s not the most reasonable to have age limits of 65 and 68 years. Each university should have the right to express an opinion on the matter within the frameworks of its academic autonomy, declared Prof. D.Sc. (Econ.) Statty Stattev, Rector of UNWE and Deputy Chairman of the Rectors Council. In terms of the university Managing body there is one kind of dimensions of the issue and in terms of the regulations in various ministries – different kind. We are all in one boat. So therefore we should find mutual acceptable decision of the issue, pointed out Prof. Stattev.

According also to Prof. Sergey Ignatov, Minister of Education, Youth and Science, the Rectors should have the right of carrying out their policy. He supported the idea that each Rector should have the right to make an independent assessment of the lecturer body and he pointed out that the autonomy shouldn`t be abolished by the Labour Code.

Prof. D.Sc. (Econ.) Statty Stattev (on the right) and Minister Sergey Ignatov

More of the attendants at the meeting supported such modification in the Labour Code which would give the right to employees occupying positions as professor, associate professor, chief assistant to retire at the relevant length of service but not before turning the age of 68 years.

Three Rectors will summarize the suggestions made at the meeting and they will present them in a discussion with representatives of the educational and social ministries. By the invitation of the Minister Totyu Mladenov the discussion will be held at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.

Participants in the tripartite meeting