Public sector salaries cannot be increased by more than 5%, says Social Affairs Minister

The state cannot afford to increase public sector salaries by 10% this year, as demanded by trade unions. This was stated by Social Affairs Minister Borislav Gutsanov. The minister pointed out that taxes had not been changed, while pensions had been increased in line with the Swiss model, so there were only funds for a 5% increase in salaries.

Earlier today, the president of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria, Plamen Dimitrov, said that tensions over low wages in some sectors were not easing and that workers in the sector were ready to protest.