site.btaPM Glavchev: BGN 39 Mln Already Deposited in Accounts of Higher Education Institutions

The Cabinet has already deposited BGN 39 million in the accounts of state-run higher education institutions to increase the salaries of their academic staff, caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev said at the beginning of Wednesday’s Government sitting. The caretaker Government decided to allocate BGN 80 million not only for the academic staff, but also for the administrative staff and PhD students, Glavchev said and added that it is only a matter of time before the rest of the funding is transferred. 

The salary increase for the academic staff is BGN 290. Some BGN 7.5 million have been allocated for PhD students’ scholarships. In addition, a 12% increase was provided for the administration. 

This shows how the Government feels about the academic community, Glavchev noted. It is also upright to happen on the occasion of the Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture and Slav Letters, May 24, the caretaker Prime Minister added.

On May 15, 2024 the Cabinet announced that it will provide BGN 39 million in additional funding to increase the salaries of academic staff in state-run higher education institutions as of January 1, 2024. It happened after the Council of Rectors demanded in an open letter to state authorities that the average wage for the academic staff at state-run higher education institutions should be at least 180% of the average wage in Bulgaria, and the minimum base wage should be at least 125% of the average wage in the country. "On account of the State's failure to fulfil the obligations assumed to us and to comply with the Higher Education Act, on May 20, 2024, all Bulgarian State universities and part of the private universities will remain closed as a sign of warning, exception being made only for emergency and urgent activities," the letter says.