Trade unionists hand MPs leaflets containing 15 questions

Leaders and members of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) and the Confederation of Labor Podkrepa met MPs this morning in front of the National Assembly building with the question: “What will happen to our incomes in 2026 if Parliament fails to adopt the submitted draft budgets and instead approves an extension of the 2025 state budget?”, BGNES reported.

According to CITUB President Plamen Dimitrov, all parties, including the former opposition groups, have indicated that they do not intend to adopt the 2026 budget.

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“Since the middle of last year, we have been staging protests over underfunding in various sectors. Yesterday it was announced that what we finally managed to negotiate as benefits for working people will not happen because this budget will not be voted on”, a trade unionist commented.

MPs received leaflets containing 15 questions, one of which concerned whether maternity benefits would increase. The answer, according to a participant in the action, is “no” if an extension of this year’s budget is passed. “If we do not get answers to our questions, we will act in our role as trade unions, and the politicians will feel considerable pressure”, he added.

“If no new budget is adopted, the minimum wage, the salaries of teachers, doctors, healthcare specialists, second-year maternity benefits, and all other incomes will not increase. We had agreed on a rise of between 10% and 15%, but someone decided to act offended after the resignation. All MPs, whether from the government or the opposition, bear responsibility before the public”, commented Lyuboslav Kostov, chief economist of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria. According to him, an extension of the current budget would preserve all 2025 rates throughout 2026 and it is unclear whether there will be enough funds for salaries and pensions.  

 Edited by Diana Tsankova

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov