site.btaCITUB Ready to Hold Protests, Strikes over Parliament Not Adopting 2026 State Budget

The Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) said on Friday that it is ready to hold national, sectoral and regional protests, as well as strikes in companies with the aim of protecting the rights and incomes of Bulgarian citizens. This is in response to what they call an "irresponsible decision" of the National Assembly not to adopt the 2026 State Budget Bill, the 2026 Public Social Insurance Budget Bill, and the 2026 National Health Insurance Fund Budget Bill.

In the announcement, the CITUB Coordination Council added that legislative power had chosen the path of "political impotence" by instead adopting a bill extending the 2025 budget, which will be in effect for at least three months and could last until the first half of 2026. "This decision is not just a technical procedure - it is a direct attack on the living standards of hundreds of thousands of working Bulgarians in the public sector, including secondary and higher education, healthcare, public administration, agriculture, the environment, land and rail transport, culture, defence and security, and postal services", the Confederation said. 

The CITUB considers the wage freeze unacceptable and insists that income indexation, as set out in the extension bill, be calculated using the consumer price index. According to them, this would allow income growth to reach at least 5%. 

The announcement also says that the lack of a 2026 budget jeopardizes the functioning of strategic sectors. Tensions have already reached a critical point in sectors such as transport, healthcare, education, public administration, social services, culture, water and sanitation, agriculture and the postal service. Without adequate funding for remuneration, there will be a mass exodus of specialists and public services will collapse. This poses a risk at a time when Bulgaria is in the final stages of joining the eurozone, undermining economic stability and sending a damaging signal to international partners. 

The CITUB ends their statement by saying that social peace cannot be sacrificed for the sake of political games, warning that the alarming situation in the country, characterised by growing political uncertainty and social tension, will intensify in the coming months.