An additional €100 million should be urgently earmarked for public sector pay rises, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (CITUB) is demanding ahead of the second reading of the 2025 budget in the National Assembly next week. In particular, salaries should be increased in the most underfunded institutions, such as the Social Welfare and Employment Agency, Bulgarian National Radio and Bulgarian Post.

CITUB insists that the income policy is not what was promised in the original version of the 2025 budget. Instead of a 10 per cent increase in wages, there is only a 5 per cent increase.

The salaries of BNR employees are lagging far behind, said Milen Mitev, general director of the media organisation. "Today, we are finding it increasingly difficult to attract young people to work for the BNR - mainly because of these inadequate salaries. We are fighting for the salaries of the BNR's creative staff - journalists, musicians - to at least reach the average level in the country and in Sofia."