Bulgarian companies are suffering a shortage of qualified staff and this increasing tendency is alarming for most owners and managers, BTA reports. This emerged at a round table discussion on major issues related to the efficient management of human resources in Bulgarian enterprises in connection with this country's EU membership held in Sofia, the organizers Bulgarian Business Network Association (BBN) said on Sunday in a press release.

The shortage of staff for the business stands at 17 per cent already. Every fifth place in the companies is not occupied. BBN managers are convinced that there is no unemployment in Bulgaria; just the opposite, there is an increased demand of competent and disciplined employees in all spheres of Bulgarian economy, the press release added.

The migration to economically stronger EU regions, the ageing of the population and the negative population growth are also factors, which influence negatively the labour market.

According to the business, the excessive decreasing of the unemployment level below 7 per cent is also not a good tendency. It was underlined that the current level of unemployment in Sofia is about 2.2 per cent, which means that the criterion of selection of staff is seriously decreased and the companies employ staff that is not sufficiently trained and qualified.

The company owners and managers present at the discussion were unanimous that recently the business climate in Bulgaria is favourable.