site.btaNational Social Security Institute Head: Budget Is Most Feasible in Terms of Revenue and Expenditure Policies

The budget is the most feasible one in terms of revenue and expenditure policies, National Social Security Institute (NSSI) President Vesela Karaivanova-Nacheva told journalists in Parliament on Tuesday, after the Parliamentary Committee on Labour and Social Policy discussed and approved the 2026 Public Social Insurance Bill and the social expenditure framework in the draft state budget.

She noted that the minimum wage, the minimum income for self-insured persons and the maximum insurable income will all increase in 2026, alongside a two-percentage-point rise in the pension contribution rate.

According to Karaivanova-Nacheva, the higher contribution rate will bring in an additional EUR 602 million. Each such policy indirectly leads to an increase in pension amounts, she said, explaining that these changes affect the average insurable income, which is part of the pension calculation formula.

Bulgaria remains among the EU countries with the lowest pension contribution rate, the NSSI head said. The total social contribution rate in Bulgaria is 33%, while in some EU member states 34% covers only the pension fund, without other social insurance risks, she added.

On potential Christmas supplements for pensioners, Karaivanova-Nacheva said the decision rests with the government, and the NSSI is prepared to implement any decision. Should supplements be granted, they will reach pensioners before Christmas, she assured.

A total of 536,000 pensioners remain below the poverty line, the NSSI President said.