Bulgaria's Ministry of Interior pension age under scrutiny

The Fiscal Council has called for an increase in the pension age for employees of Bulgaria's Ministry of Interior (MVR). Under current rules, staff in the security sector—including police and military—can retire at 54 years and 6 months with a minimum of 27 years of contributions, which has led to about 11,000 officers continuing to work past retirement age and receiving both salary and pension. The Council proposes that frontline men retire at 56 years and that all other personnel retire at 64 years and 9 months.

The issue gained attention after Vasyl Veliev, head of the Association of Industrial Capital, noted that 7,057 MVR officers would receive a full pension while still drawing a full salary. Budget projections for 2026 show €2.115 billion allocated to the Ministry, with €1.973 billion earmarked for personnel costs. Internal Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev reported that as of April 30, 1,098 officers of pension age were still active, including 243 who have remained beyond five years after eligibility.