site.btaDraft Wage Ordinance Changes Published for Public Consultation

Draft changes to Bulgaria’s wages ordinance have been published for public consultation, Labour and Social Policy Minister Nataliya Efremova told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday.

Efremova was responding to a question about the 2027 minimum wage. The draft Council of Ministers decree would amend the Ordinance on the Structure and Organization of Wages.

The amendments set out the procedure and methodology for applying the minimum wage mechanism established by law, she said.

Efremova said the proposed changes had also been discussed with employers and trade unions. "The most important element of the directive on adequate minimum wages is the promotion of social dialogue. Therefore, we do not use the decisions of the social partners as an excuse, but work in partnership with them, as required by European legislation," she said.

"Article 244(1) has not been amended. It says that the Council of Ministers determines the specific amount of the minimum wage. Only the mechanism has been changed," the Minister added.

The specific amount of the minimum wage for each year will be set by a Council of Ministers decree, which will include a clear impact assessment and specify the value assigned to each criterion for the respective year, so that the exact amounts can be determined, Efremova noted.

Last week, Parliament adopted at second reading amendments to the Labour Code establishing a new mechanism for determining the minimum wage. It will be based on four criteria: the purchasing power of the minimum wage in the country; taking into account the cost of living; the overall level and distribution of wages; the rate of wage growth; and long-term productivity levels in the country.