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10 clusters · 26 sources · 66 days · First seen · Last updated

Bulgarian minimum wage and salary regulation reform

Overview

Bulgaria has approved amendments to the Labor Code, introducing a new mechanism for determining the minimum wage. The calculation methodology aligns the minimum wage with the median salary and cost of living using four criteria: purchasing power, overall wage levels, wage growth rates, and labor productivity. The long-term goal is for the minimum wage to reach 60% of the median wage. On September 18, 2026, the Bulgarian Parliament passed the new formula at its first reading. Social Minister Natalia Efremova defended the mechanism, stating it considers complex economic factors rather than simple arithmetic. However, the proposal has faced significant opposition. Podkrepa Trade Union leader Dimitar Manolov criticized the inclusion of labor productivity as a key criterion, arguing that productivity is not the sole responsibility of the worker. Following the first reading, members of the ‘We Continue the Change’ party proposed an amendment to set the 2027 minimum wage at 50% of the national average salary, approximately €692, to ensure budgetary clarity while the government finalizes the specific mathematical formula via a subsequent ordinance. On September 25, 2026, the National Assembly officially passed the amendments. The law requires the National Statistical Institute to develop a methodology for measuring the ‘cost of living’ within nine months. Critics from the ‘Progressive Bulgaria’ and ‘We Continue the Change’ parties have labeled the legislation a ‘blank check’ or a ‘Schrödinger’s ordinance,’ arguing that establishing criteria without a defined implementation methodology grants excessive discretion to the Council of Ministers and creates economic uncertainty. On September 27, 2026, Bulgarian Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva joined the criticism, noting that the specific weight of the four required criteria remains undefined. Delcheva questioned the basis for a proposed €660 minimum wage for the upcoming year and urged Parliament to reassess the figure.

Entities

Natalia Efremova · National Statistical Institute · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy · Ministry of Finance · Bulgaria

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    Bulgaria Labor Minister proposes 672.80 euro minimum wage

    Bulgarian Labor Minister Natalia Efremova proposes increasing the 2027 minimum wage to 672.80 euros to combat the shadow economy and support social security.

  2. [POLITICS] 5 sources
    Bulgarian Parliament adopts new minimum wage calculation mechanism

    Bulgaria's National Assembly passed a new law to determine the minimum wage based on four criteria, including purchasing power and productivity, despite opposition criticism over vague implementation rules.

  3. [BUSINESS] 4 sources
    Bulgarian deputies propose 2027 minimum wage at 50% of average

    Bulgarian deputies from 'We Continue the Change' propose setting the 2027 minimum wage at 50% of the average salary, totaling 692 euros, to ensure budgetary certainty.

  4. [POLITICS] 3 sources
    Bulgarian Parliament adopts new minimum wage formula

    The Bulgarian Parliament passed a new minimum wage formula at first reading, using criteria like purchasing power and labor productivity, amid criticism from unions and opposition parties.

  5. [BUSINESS] 11 sources
    Bulgaria introduces new mechanism for determining minimum wage

    Bulgaria is introducing a new mechanism to determine the minimum wage based on four criteria: purchasing power, median wage levels, wage growth, and labor productivity, aiming for greater economic fairness.

  6. [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    KNSB calls for delay in 2027 minimum wage determination

    Bulgarian trade union KNSB urges delaying the 2027 minimum wage decision pending a Constitutional Court ruling and calls for the Commission for Protection of Competition to tackle high prices via sanctions.

  7. [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Bulgaria to determine 2027 minimum wage following budget clarification

    Bulgarian officials state the 2027 minimum wage will be determined once the state budget parameters are clear, utilizing a new flexible mechanism based on productivity and purchasing power.

  8. [BUSINESS] 6 sources
    Bulgaria proposes new mechanism for determining minimum wage

    Bulgaria's Ministry of Labour has proposed a new mechanism to set the minimum wage based on purchasing power, cost of living, wage growth, and labor productivity.

  9. [BUSINESS] 5 sources
    Bulgaria develops new minimum wage calculation formula

    Bulgaria is developing a new minimum wage formula for 2027 that will consider purchasing power and labor productivity rather than just a fixed percentage of the average salary.

  10. [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Bulgaria outlines how enterprises allocate salary funds

    Bulgarian firms allocate salary funds—including base pay, bonuses and seniority compensation—based on staff structure, performance and legal rules, adjusting for changes in minimum wage or collective agreements

Sources

actualno.com · bgvoice.com · burgasmedia.com · clinica.bg · e-79.com · fakti.bg · focus-news.bg · history.azbuki.bg · infobusiness.bcci.bg · infoz.bg · iskra.bg · monitor.bg · moreto.net · netnews.bg · pbnovini.com · petel.bg · plovdiv24.bg · ruse.news · safenews.bg · standartnews.com · targovishtenews.net · telenews.bg · trafficnews.bg · tvzonaplus.rs · vesti.bg · zurnal.mk

This summary has been updated 11 times: see revision history