Parents Protest Nationwide Again, Demand Changes to Family Support Policies

Yoanna Vodenova, Siyana Dimitrova

Parents protesting for higher maternity allowances in front of the Council of Ministers in Sofia, July 14, 2026 (BTA Photo/Nikola Uzunov)

Sofia,

14.07.2026 20:09

(BTA)

Parents again staged a protest outside the Council of Ministers building in Sofia on Tuesday, demanding changes to policies supporting families with children. The demonstration, held under the slogan "Maternity Is Not Charity", was organized for a second time by the civic initiative Parents for Decent Maternity. Police were present in the area.

Protests were also held in other cities across the country, including Pleven, Sliven, Stara Zagora, Plovdiv, Haskovo, and Pernik.

The protesters are calling for maternity benefits during the second year of parental leave to be set at 70% of the recipient's insured income, but not below the national minimum wage. They are also demanding annual indexation of maternity and child allowances, as well as equal child benefits for all working parents regardless of income.

"We firmly insist that this year's budget provide compensation equal to 75% of insured income for mothers who do not use their maternity leave, and that it be increased to 100% no later than next year," organizer Ivanka Todorova said. She also called for higher compensation and benefits for mothers of twins and triplets.

"It is absurd that twins are expected to be raised on EUR 378. That is not enough even for one child," she added.

Todorova said that so far only the parliamentary group of Vazrazhdane had submitted two of the parents' proposals. She added that the initiative discussed its proposals during an online meeting with Continue the Change on Monday and is scheduled to hold a similar meeting with Democratic Bulgaria on Wednesday.

"We have sent letters to the Ombudsman, the President and the Prime Minister. If the budget remains unchanged, we will call for a veto because it is entirely discriminatory against mothers," Todorova said. She added that the protests would continue if the demands were not addressed.

MPs from opposition parties Continue the Change, Democratic Bulgaria and Vazrazhdane were present at the demonstrations in Sofia and spoke to the media in support of parents' demands.

On July 1, parents staged a protest calling for higher maternity allowances. Following that demonstration, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Galab Donev said the parents' demands corresponded to spending increases proposed in this year's budget. On the same day, Donev and Labour and Social Policy Minister Nataliya Efremova met representatives of the Parents for Decent Maternity initiative to discuss proposed changes to policies supporting families with children.

/YV/