Bulgarian unions, employers and government fail to agree on minimum wage

Bulgaria's National Tripartite Council has failed to reach agreement on the new amount of the minimum wage, according to BTA. Employer organisations support the proposal to raise the minimum wage to 660 euros.

Social Policy Minister Natalia Efremova said the minimum wage in 2026 is 620 euros. She said the 660-euro proposal was prepared taking into account the possibilities of the state budget and that the proposed increase would cover about 462,000 people. Efremova stressed that the 6.4% rise in the minimum wage compensates for and exceeds annual inflation of 5.7%, and assessed the proposal on that basis.

Unions pointed out that one in every six employees in the country is defined as a working poor. Union representatives said the 660-euro minimum wage does not guarantee a decent life in any way. They noted that after income tax deduction, the net wage falls to 512 euros.