Public-sector salaries to rise by 5% next year

The 2027 state budget provides for spending restraint, a smaller government deficit and a lower nominal amount of new government debt compared to 2026 and 2025, Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced at the beginning of the cabinet meeting. The draft budget also envisages increased support for families and children, as well as additional funding for healthcare, education and defence, alongside measures to stimulate investment and support businesses.

The draft budget provides for a 5% increase in public-sector salaries, a 7.5% rise in teachers’ salaries, and an 8% increase in pensions. The minimum salary is also expected to rise, while the value of vouchers would double from EUR 100 to EUR 200. No increases in the main taxes are planned.

“You are well aware of the state of the public finances we inherited: an empty treasury, an excessive deficit, inherited debts, and numerous projects, bills and invoices that had to be paid and that we are still paying. There were also automatic mechanisms for setting public-sector salaries and rapidly rising social and other expenditures”, Prime Minister Radev said.

He added that the government would submit the 2027 budget plan to the European Commission.

Edited by Diana Tsankova

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov