Unions, employers and government fail to agree on minimum wage

The National Council for Tripartite Cooperation failed to reach a consensus on a proposal to raise the minimum wage to €660, BTA reports. Employers’ organisations support the proposed increase.

The minimum wage in 2026 is €620, Social Minister Natalia Efremova said. She said the proposal was in line with what the state budget could afford and would affect around 462,000 people. The 6.4% rise would exceed the annual inflation rate of 5.7%, Efremova stressed.

Trade unions said that one in six workers in the country is considered to be among the working poor. A minimum wage of €660 in no way guarantees a decent standard of living, they said, adding that after income tax is deducted, take-home pay falls to €512.

Editor: Ivo Ivanov