site.btaPodkrepa President: Bulgaria Must Introduce EU Requirements for Adequate Minimum Wages by End of 2024

By the end of 2024 and even before that, Bulgaria must implement the requirements of the EU directive on adequate minimum wages in the European Union, Podkrepa Confederation of Labour President Dimitar Manolov told BTA.  In September, the European Parliament adopted new rules for adequate minimum wages for everyone in the EU.

Manolov explained that the first step has already been taken to determine the minimum wage as 50% of the average gross wage for the country. The decision was made in February of this year.

"The minimum wage is the one that "pushes" all wages up, as we well know, and we will fight for it," said Manolov.

Among the main topics that are on the agenda for the trade union, in addition to pay, are working conditions, issues related to healthcare, education, energy.

Hrisimov, from the Trade Union Federation of Interior Ministry of Internal Employees, stated that the most important task before the federation is the implementation of the agreements reached in the budget for 2025, namely tying salaries in the Interior Ministry to the average salary for the country.

He explained that the Interior Ministrey system is experiencing a big shortage, as much as 5,000 people, which would take at least 5 years to fill.