site.btaTrade Union Leader: BGN 300 Mln Needed to Fund People's Minimum Needs in Public Sector

The sum of BGN 300 million has to be found to fund people's minimum needs, not to make them rich, but at least make their purchase power tentatively reach that of a couple of years ago, Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) President Plamen Dimitrov commented in Bulgarian National Radio's Sunday 150 show. Over the past week, CITUB organized a series of protest actions in the public sector, demanding fair incomes in Budget 2023 and protection of workers' labour rights. 

Dimitrov pointed out that MPs from key parliamentary groups have supported two-thirds of the demands of the unions and said that meetings with experts of the political forces are expected early next week. 

He said there were buffers where funds could be drawn from. Dimitrov gave the example of capital expenditure, which in his opinion is overstated. The budget foresees BGN 8.2 billion of capital expenditure, adopted as of August 1, while already BGN 1.8 billion have been spent as of April 1, he explained. According to him, by the end of the year there will not be enough time to spend the remaining more than BGN 6 billion and at least BGN 500 million of it could be left over. 

CITUB does not want something that is unaffordable and unfeasible, Dimitrov said. He pointed out that the compensation is for inflation and actual wages are catching up with inflation.