Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

 The strategy for privatization of "Navigation Maritime Bulgare" Ltd. was presented to the representatives of the syndicates and the journalists. The Minister of Transport Peter Mutafchiev, the Executive-Director of the Privatization Agency Todor Nikolov, the Head of the Inter-Departmental workgroup on the privatization strategy preparation Zveta Kamenova, the Head of the Transport- and Communication Commission of the Parliament Yordan Mirchev, the Head of the Commission on economic policy Yordan Zonev, The Director-Executive of NMB captain Hristo Donev and the Head of the Association Board Krasimira Stoianova participated in the event. The chairman of KNSB and the President of KT"Podkrepa" Konstantin Trenchev also attended the presentation.

During the presentation Minister Mutafchiev declared that on Thursday the Privatization Strategy will be introduced for examination in the Parliament.

The Minister of Transport expressed his gratitude to all who participated in the discussion on preparation of the strategy. Fifty suggestions have been received, from which 25 have been accepted and put as changes into the last variant of the Privatization Strategy. Part of the suggestions concerned the management form of "Navigation Maritime Bulgare".   

Peter Mutafchiev emphasized that the Ministers Council wishes to guarantee the further development of NMB, saving the activity of the association and its main office in Varna and turning it into the biggest carrier in the Mediterranean region.

The Director-Executive of NMB captain Hristo Donev presented the current state of NMB and the perspectives for its future development. He underlined the financial stability of the company, which owns 71 ships, the most for bulk-freights. The employees are 4400 people. In the last years NMB has reduced its ships two times, which caused a reduction of the revenue in the year 2006, compared with the period 2004-2005, when NMB has drastically increased its income.

Zveta Kamenova said, the workgroup aims seven main goals with this Strategy: to safe the seat of the company in Varna; its development as a competitive enterprise; the balance between the investments and the price offered; reduction of the average age of the ships; preservation and increase of the total tonnage; preservation and increase of the freight market of the company; increase of the payment level for the navigation staff. The purchaser will be obligated, for the next ten years to retain the activity subject of the association and keep the share of the state in it without reduction. The workgroup expects from the purchaser an aggressive investment policy.

 For additional information:
Gergana Grozdeva, Press Centre,
Ministry of Transport
Phone: 940 96 25
E-Mail: ggrozdeva@mt.government.bg