What is crucial is that the people of Stara Zagora are given real, tangible opportunities – not just abstract promises
Communication on just transition in the carbon region is poor, says the coordinating manager of the European Innovation Hub Zagore
Malgorzata Kulbaczewska-Figat, Vladimir Mitev
Ms Rumyana Grozeva holds a PhD in Economics from the Institute of Economic Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Her PhD is based on her Master’s degree from the University of National and World Economy, Sofia. She has 7 years of experience in public administration. Since 2008 she has been the Executive Director of the Agency for Regional Development – Stara Zagora. Since 2018 she is a member of the Board of Directors of Zagore Industrial Zone. Since April 2021 she is the coordinating manager of the European Innovation Hub Zagore. She is a lecturer at Sofia University and Thrakian University.
Malgorzata Kulbaczewska-Figat: Ms Grozeva, as someone who lives in Stara Zagora, can you tell us how long you have lived here and how Stara Zagora has changed over the last few decades? Because even though the transition is just beginning, the last decades have been a time of change for Bulgaria in many places.
In Stara Zagora, the transition you are talking about has not really begun because the mines and power stations are working at almost full capacity. The tenants of the region may have changed in the last two years. But overall, I would not say that such a transition has started. There are not many people being made redundant. Nobody has seen a change in their salaries. They continue to work and get the salaries they have agreed to. So if there is going to be a change, it is going to be in the region.
Many people, ordinary people, specialists in leadership positions in the region are foreseeing a big cataclysm. They say that the region will be affected in different ways. But let’s say that there are at least 10,000 people and their families who will be affected. They say that they will lose their jobs. They will be on the streets, and this will cause a serious cataclysm.
At the same time, special efforts are being made to create industrial zones, to attract investors, especially in the field of green energy, so that these people can be easily trained and can take up other positions in other companies. On the other side some major part of them , in these small settlements, have their own land, they have villages where they raise animals, vegetables, and I personally think that this could be a good option for them to be encouraged to develop this production so that they can feed themselves as a small business and earn their own money.
I haven’t heard of many numbers working in this direction, but I personally think it could be a good idea.
And from your perspective as a person living here, is it visible that other economic sectors are developing, that there is something else being produced here, not just energy?
Yes, of course. In the not-so-distant past, at the beginning of the transition mentioned in the previous question, the Stara Zagora region had a highly diversified economy. At the same time, it developed a cluster structure, known as state economic associations, covering various industries and agriculture.
Nowadays some of these industries continue developing in the region – Especially in Stara Zagora, but I can give you as an example the town of Kazanlak. There are also modern products that have been developed in recent years.
However, these industries are not large enough to provide employment for all the people who have relied on their jobs in the energy sector. They create jobs, but not at a scale that meets all needs.
The key question is how these people will continue their professional path. For me, the main task that must come first is active dialogue with them, to listen to them – discussing opportunities, understanding their concerns, and offering clear solutions for their future
To listen to them and, at some point – and I think this has started to happen over the past two years – help them accept and understand that they will indeed be able to continue working.
Because, regardless of their protests – such as when the motorway was blocked in 2023 (I assume you heard about that) – these people categorically refused to accept that there was an opportunity to continue working in other sectors and enterprises or within the restructuring of the mining and energy complex.
However, in recent years, I believe there has been progress in this direction, and I think they themselves are beginning to consider their future beyond the mines and the energy sector.
Are people here interested in starting their own businesses?
I can’t say. What strikes me, and what affects the situation in the whole country, is that people are afraid to start their own businesses, especially small ones, because of the political instability. Because a lot of their confidence is that nothing happens without some kind of permission from above, without someone who has the power at the moment to give you their blessing. Also, in my opinion, because the heavy administrative procedures are overly burdensome in certain service sectors, which are the easiest to start a business in. For me in Bulgaria, people don’t have the instinct, when they lose their job, to immediately ask themselves: ‘What can I do? How can I develop my own small business?
If we are giving a special focus to the people working in the mining and energy complex a significant part of them have been there for decades, following daily procedures and regulations, protected by the collective labour agreement. This mindset is far removed from entrepreneurship.
During the protests, voices from within the protesters themselves echoed this sentiment.
That’s what I think. And I think that the long-term existence of the Maritsa East complex, in which we are here, we have an expression, “Miner is my father, miner will be me too”. This is in the circle of the present, but it reflects the psychology of these people. And this is now a generational problem.
Would you say that people here are aware that the mines will not continue for a long time for economic reasons, or is there a hope in society that nothing will change?
Both. I think they are equally divided. But more and more people are realising that the coal mine is going to stop producing electricity and that they have to find a way for themselves. For me, this is the fault of all the people who have run the state for the last 10 years at least.
I personally witnessed how, at one point, the Minister of Energy came here and addressed the miners, saying: ‘No, you will work here and dig a hole as long as there is a hole to dig.’ This was a blatant lie because, at the same time, Bulgaria had already signed documents committing to the transition.
These people are not to blame for the situation. They have been misled and reassured for years. In Stara Zagora, and often in Bulgaria as a whole, every election brings new political promises. In recent years, as you know, there has always been a populist party, with candidates—including some international figures—who come and speak to these people against the European Union, arguing that Bulgaria should leave the EU just to preserve this energy sector in its current state of collapse—without investments in innovation and related technologies, as is happening in many other mining companies around the world and within the EU.
So these people are confused, in my opinion. And this is a communication problem, state, local and national government. Because 10 years ago it was necessary to explain to them that they should make a decision for themselves and that they will be given new opportunities, but now the situation is different.
We are behind, but this could open up a whole set of opportunities.
We were told that there is no investment coming into the region, and even if people wanted to get new skills, they don’t even know what new skills would actually get them a job. What are your observations in this area?
I think it is still possible to move in the right direction.
There are investments coming into the region, but they are still not sufficient and, more importantly, they remain rather fragmented. Instead of being guided by a clear vision for development based on existing resources and the creation of clusters or industrial symbiosis, they appear somewhat scattered and uncoordinated.
However, communication is also a major issue. Even as a journalist, I find it difficult to understand the specifics of the new production that is expected to start in one of the industrial zones near Stara Zagora—what exactly it will involve and how many jobs it will create. Neither the local government nor the investors have provided clear information on this matter
This naturally raises the logical questions: What should these people retrain or upskill for? Where will they work? Every ‘WILL’ without a clear plan only deepens uncertainty. Over the past 35 years, people have heard many promises of ‘WILL’ without seeing concrete actions.
One crucial step in addressing this uncertainty is the mapping of professions, skills, and attitudes. This process should provide both authorities and investors with valuable insights into one of the region’s most important resources—its people. Understanding these human capital dynamics is key to designing targeted policies and attracting investments that align with the region’s real potential.
OK. Are people leaving Stara Zagora or are they planning to stay here? I am mainly talking about the younger generation, because we have seen in Romania that young people are leaving the coal regions.
Yes, young people are leaving Stara Zagora, but I don’t think this is directly related to the coal industry or the Maritsa East complex. The main reason is a broader national trend—young people are gravitating toward larger cities, particularly Sofia.
There is a significant gap between Sofia and the rest of the country in terms of lifestyle, living costs, and salaries. This is a national issue, not just a regional one related to the coal sector.
At the same time, global awareness of the long-term inefficiency of relying on fossil fuels is gaining momentum. EU policies and the emissions trading system are only part of the equation—one that has been skillfully exploited by populist rhetoric. However, there are countless examples worldwide of mines and thermal power plants shutting down in their conventional form, while at the same time being successfully restructured to remain key drivers of regional economies.
The challenge is not just about ‘closure’ but about transformation. What is necessary is the right strategy, these industries can evolve, creating new opportunities while preserving economic stability for local communities. Going forward: embracing new industries, they can become an attractive hub for young people, attracting them to stay or to come back and contribute to the region’s future.
And you, as a person who lives here, can you imagine that in 15 years there will be a hydrogen valley here?
I dream of something like that. And I believe the region has great potential for transformation, and hydrogen could certainly be part of the future. However, I see the transition as a broader process that should be based on a clear strategy for industrial diversification and sustainable economic development.
Rather than simply replacing one dominant industry with another, we need a well-thought-out approach that leverages the region’s strengths, existing infrastructure, and human capital. Industrial symbiosis, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing are just some of the possibilities that could shape Stara Zagora’s future.
In this context, the Stara Zagora Regional Economic Development Agency (SZ REDA), with the support of the European Commission, has developed a strategic framework for diversifying the regional economy based on existing resources. The three sectors with the highest growth potential have been identified as clean energy, mechatronics, and agriculture.
To put this vision into action, we are currently working on an Action Plan and an Investment Plan at the intersection of these three sectors as part of the Strategy for Research & Innovation (R&I) in the energy sector.
What is crucial is to give people real, tangible opportunities—not just abstract promises.
The challenge is not just about economic restructuring but about changing the mindset. Many people have worked in the energy sector for decades, often believing that this is their only career path. If we provide clear prospects, adequate training, and support, I am confident that they will embrace the change and contribute to the region’s modernization.
The just transition concept includes not only the changes in the structure of the working economy, but also some autonomy for people. People should have a say in what happens in their regions. That is the vision.
And do you see something like this here on the ground, for example in the form of local NGOs created by local people, or active citizens who speak out about the problems they face?
And this is also where we can pass on the role of local communities. I think a lot more can be done in that direction.
Okay. So does the municipality perhaps initiate something?
There has been some movement from certain departments within the municipality, but the efforts remain fragmented and isolated. Rather than building upon past achievements, these actions often seem to take a step backward, setting goals that raise more questions than answers. This lack of coordination prevents the necessary momentum for real progress and leaves many stakeholders uncertain about the direction of the transition.
Vladimir Mitev: As far as I know, the fair transition is decided at the level of the subcommittees of the interested parties. But the communication of these subcommittees is not very visible, or it does not reach the people very much. What exactly do they decide, what do they discuss?
Yes, such a decision was made at national level to establish such a committee, and it has been structured with some initial funding allocated. As a member of this committee, I see it as the only direct link between the national authorities and local stakeholders—a platform for dialogue about what should be done and how local communities envision the transition.
However, the challenge remains in ensuring that this dialogue translates into concrete actions. The committee must not only exist but also actively engage with people, communicate clearly, and provide tangible solutions. What was missing so far is a clear, structured plan that gives people confidence about their future—whether that means reskilling opportunities, financial support for new businesses, or pathways for early retirement. Without such clarity, uncertainty persists, and communities remain in a state of hesitation rather than adaptation.
But now there is a structured annual work program that outlines when and what funding opportunities will be available, providing a certain level of clarity. While there have been delays, efforts are being made to catch up. The key challenge now is ensuring that this information reaches local communities effectively and that they are supported in accessing these opportunities. More proactive engagement is needed to bridge the gap between planning and real impact on the ground
Do business and trade unions talk to each other?
Yes, they do. In fact, trade unions are an essential part of this dialogue, just as they are in many other sectors where business and government interact at the national level. Without this dialogue, things simply wouldn’t work—it wouldn’t be realistic to move forward without the active participation of all stakeholders.
For a long time, all these attempts—whether by NGOs, journalists, or local governments—to have an open discussion with people were met with strong resistance. The reason is simple: people had been misled for years into believing that their way of life could continue unchanged.
If you had asked them two years ago what they would do when the mines ‘closed’, they would have ‘thrown stones’ at you—because for them, even the phrase ‘when the mines close’ wasn’t an opportunity, it was a threat. I think things have started to change in recent years, but I can say for sure that two years ago, the mindset was completely different.
Even our outlet on the Green Deal, sparked a strong reaction. Some of the articles we published on the topic received really harsh comments. People called us ‘green terrorists’ and so on.
This interview has been prepared with the support of Journalismfund, within the scope of a broader project concerning just transition in Bulgaria, Romania, Poland and Czechia in a comparative perspective.
Photo: Rumyana Grozeva (source: Cross-border Talks)
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