site.btaTrade Union Leader Dimitrov Expects Wages in Bulgaria to Reach 60 Per Cent of European Average in Four Years

Sofia, June 21 (BTA) - Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) President Plamen Dimitrov is optimistic that, if wages in Bulgaria keep growing in real terms at the present pace, they will reach 60 per cent of the European average in four years' time.

The tradeunionist talked to journalists after the presentation of "Benchmarking Working Europe 2018", a report by Philippe Pochet, General Director of the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) with the European Trade Union Confederation, which discusses, among other things, wage convergence in the EU.

As Dimitrov put it, the 60 per cent in question and a little over it is the psychological barrier above which a European feels part of the community and does not want to flee the country in which he lives.

Summing up the results of the research, Lyuben Tomev, Director of the Institute for Social and Trade Union Studies at CITUB, said that despite a GDP growth rebound to 2.4 per cent for 2017 and 2.3 per cent expected for 2018, the labour market is deeply scarred by wounds which need to be healed while the social safety nets are gasping. Since 2010, per capita spending on social policy in the EU has been growing slowly, while needs are increasing. "Disparities are acute, which is why the European Pillar of Social Rights is a timely initiative and a step in the right direction," Tomev added.