Employees of Eco-Inspections Demand Higher Salaries

Filip Pavlov, Borislava Bibinovska

Workers of the Environmental Executive Agency protesting in Pazardzhik (BTA Photo)

Sofia,

29.10.2024 16:53

(BTA)

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Employees of eco-inspections protested country-wide on Tuesday, demanding a 30% increase in basic monthly salaries until the end of 2024, as well as wage increases by at least 15% in the 2025 budget of the Environment and Water Ministry.

Protesters included workers in the Environmental Executive Agency, the Regional Environment and Water Inspectorates, the Basin Directorates and the National Parks. All of them are unionized and represented in the Federation of Independent Agricultural Trade Unions and the Federation of Trade Unions of Forestry Organizations to the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria.

"As a chief expert in the Environmental Executive Agency, I receive a net salary of BGN 1,700-1,800", said Elisaveta Popcheva, chair of the trade union organization in the agency. "It is up to the ministry to come up with a budget that will help make our wages more realistic and make us feel valued", she noted, adding that a wage of minimum BGN 2,500 would be a fair salary.

/DT/