site.btaSocial Assistance Agency Employees Stage Protest in Front of Ministry

Employees of the Social Assistance Agency (SAA) demanding a pay rise staged a protest rally in front of the Labour and Social Policy Ministry here on Tuesday. SAA Executive Director Veselin Kozhuharov invited a group of protesters to discuss their demands.

The union of administrative staff with the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour organized the protest.

Teodora Ivanova, a social worker from the northern town of Veliko Tarnovo, told reporters: "Our salaries are low, we wanted a 30% increase. Our demands were met partly, the latest increase was retroactive as of 2024 after negotiations." The pay rise was not what SAA employees and workers expected, so they want at least BGN 200 more, she said.

The SAA employees carried slogans that read "How can one live on BGN 850?" and "Why does money never go round to us?".

After talks with SAA leaders, Podkrepa's Kremena Atanassova told reporters they had agreed one month would be enough to see what resources could go towards a pay rise. Protests will be suspended during that time. She also said Kozhuharov could not commit to a deadline or a specific sum.

If there is no progress, the SAA employees will continue to stand up for their demands, said Atanassova.