Employees of the Road Infrastructure Agency went on protest today, briefly blocking the Hemus motorway. The action, under the slogan "Decent work - decent pay", was organised by the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB). The main demand of the demonstrators is for a 20 per cent increase in their wages in the budget for 2024. 

After the minimum wage is raised to BGN 933 /EUR 477/ from 1 January 2024, the protesters said, most of the agency's employees will end up earning as much as the minimum wage, despite working weekends and being on the road all the time, regardless of weather conditions. Low pay is a barrier to attracting new staff. Road Agency employees have said they are prepared to block checkpoints, the Kresna Gorge and the Pass of the Republic in future actions.