site.btaEmployees of State Agencies Demand 20% Salary Increase Across Bulgaria

Employees of several state agencies protested across the country on Monday demanding a 20% salary increase.

The Podkrepa Confederation of Labour argued 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. They noted that the protest is due to the draft 2026 state budget, which puts civil servants in a worrying situation due to low pay, relative to high inflation. Experts whose work is highly qualified and labor-intensive receive a salary that is only slightly higher than the minimum wage, they pointed out, adding that there is a high turnover of staff in the system and at least 20% of the positions are vacant precisely because of low salaries.

In Veliko Tarnovo, specialists and employees from the Regional Environment and Water Inspectorate (REWI) protested in front of the building of the REWI, supported by representatives of the regional structures of the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour and the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (CITUB).  According to Tsvetelina Zhivkova, who works at the Regional Laboratory of the Executive Agency for Environment and Waters, the work of people who conduct samples and handle specialized equipment that analyzes the results, which requires specific knowledge, is undervalued. 

In Silistra, employees of the Territorial Division of the National Social Security Institute held a protest in front of the administration building. During the protest, slogans were raised calling for a fair budget for them. The protesters stressed that society does not show empathy for their difficulties and that the overtime they put in is not paid. Employees stressed that the 5% salary increase provided for in the budget is a provocation, especially as the number of pensioners is growing and the workload is constantly increasing. 

Workers at the Bulgarian Post in several cities, including Panagyurishte, Gabrovo, Shumen and Yambol, joined the national protest, demanding the necessary financing of Bulgarian Post to be ensured in the 2026 State Budget. The regional structure of Bulgarian Post in Yambol employs about 100 employees in all branches in the region, with the average wage at Bulgarian Post being close to the minimum wage for the country. Bulgarian Posts EAD needs EUR 7.87 million to secure financial resources to cover the universal postal service, CITUB stated.

Employees of the Social Assistance Agency and the Employment Agency in Gabrovo and Sevlievo protested for higher incomes as well, organized locally by trade union organizations. According to the union's calculations, in order to achieve a 10% increase in wages in both agencies, which are under the Labor and Social Policy Ministry, another EUR 4.30 million are needed.