Bulgaria's labour ministry wants the minimum wage close to the top of the range allowed under a labour code formula for 2027 — 672.80 euros. Labour minister Natalia Efremova said this on the "Nedelya 150" programme on Bulgarian National Radio.
The numbers are still being worked out. Officials are looking at several options, including the top figure, 660 euros, and lower levels. The formula, set out in changes to the labour code, is based on four factors. The ministry's proposal now goes to the finance ministry, where Efremova says she'll push for the highest option.
The minimum wage affects both what the state budget takes in and what it pays out, so the calculations have to weigh all budget factors, the minister said. She said simply raising the wage based on one factor alone ignores economic reality. A bigger pay rise is good for workers, she said, but the economy, employers and the budget can't keep that up for long.
Efremova said the debate in Bulgaria shouldn't be only about how big the minimum wage should be, but also about cutting the number of people who earn it. That, she said, is the real issue when it comes to the labour market.
The need for skilled workers is growing, the minister said. Employers say they can't find staff, even though more than 150,000 people are registered at job centres. The main problem, Efremova said, is that half of them have only basic schooling, or none at all.
That's why talk about pay has to include training, chances to improve skills, and skills in general, she said. State bodies already offer plenty of courses, free of charge, but few people sign up, and many don't take them seriously.
On the social side of the 2027 budget, the ministry is focused on two things: people and benefits. The top priority is making sure all payments to vulnerable people are guaranteed. The budget also plans to steer unemployed people into training, raise the benefit mothers get in the second year of maternity leave, and keep support for people with disabilities unchanged.
The minister wants the welfare system to stop being passive and just handing out money. Work has also started on getting people who can work, but who currently get social support, into training and then into jobs that fit what they can do.
"We want to work with people — to build the system around each person and their specific need, so we hand them a fishing rod, not just a fish," Natalia Efremova said.