site.btaNSSI Employees Protest in Sofia, Demand 20% Increase of Total Wage Funds

Employees of the National Social Security Institute (NSSI) held a protest on Friday in front of the NSSI offices in Sofia, demanding a 20% increase in the total wages fund and a fair distribution of funds among employees with lower and higher salaries. The protest was organized by the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour. The organizers said that the dissatisfaction stems from the neglect of problems in the state administration, insufficient pay, as well as growing public pressure and discrediting of employees.

Kremena Atanasova, chair of the public servants union, called for decent compensation and more respect, especially from politicians and authorities, for public servants.

Protesters carried placards, reading: “We will not stay silent, why is there never money for us,” “Bills rise, salaries do not,” “Pensions do not grant themselves.”, and chanted “Decent salaries.”

The salaries of experts in the institute are around BGN 1,700–1,800 BGN, which is far from sufficient to cover living expenses in 2025, Atanasova said. She stressed that, as the pensions of the institute’s employees are also low, many continue working past retirement age, while young professionals leave as soon as they learn what the salaries are.

“There must be a distinction between those who work in units where they receive tens of thousands of leva and the regular employees who are at the core of a functioning state,” Kremena Atanasova further noted. Protests by NSSI employees were also held in other cities across the country.