site.btaTrade Union Demands 20% Salary Increase for State Agencies Next Year

The funds planned for a salary increase in the state administration, set at up to 5% in the State Budget Act and the Public Social Insurance Budget Act for 2026, are completely insufficient, says the civil servants chapter of the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour in a letter to Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and the Budget and Finance Committee of the National Assembly.

The union argues that insufficient funding for personnel in a number of administrations has led to significant tension among employees, with protest actions already occurring in many of these structures and continuing to escalate.

Podkrepa is calling for a 20% salary increase. For the National Statistical Institute this amounts to EUR 3.6 million, for the National Social Security Institute EUR 14.5 million, for the Employment Agency EUR 9.5 million, for the General Labour Inspectorate EUR 2.6 million, and for the Social Assistance Agency EUR 19 million.

The union emhasizes that these administrations perform key public functions.

Employees of the National Statistical Institute and the National Social Security Institute have held protests across the country in recent days.