site.btaOutgoing Labour Minister Gyokov Proposes Higher Heating Allowance

Speaking at a news briefing on Monday, Outgoing Labour Minister Georgi Gyokov said that eligible individuals should receive an extra 20 leva monthly for heating during the entire season. He presented a report on the performance of his ministry in the first half of 2022.

By a decision of the State Energy and Water Regulator the monthly heating allowance is 104.71 leva, or at its 2021 level. “We are taking into consideration energy prices which affect the prices of staple goods and services and the most vulnerable groups of the population, which are eligible for a heating allowance,” said Gyokov. According to him, this calls for urgent measures, which will mitigate the shock of the higher prices and limit the risk of stoking social tensions.

Thirty-one million leva have been allocated for 310,000 persons and families, which is by 50,000 more from the previous season. 

Unemployment and the number of jobless continued to decrease in May, reaching to 147,477 jobless, said Gyokov, citing Employment Agency data. Compared with November 2021 they were by 10,770 fewer, or 6.8 per cent. For the same period unemployment dropped by 0.2 percentage points to 4.5 per cent in May. In May, the jobless youths were 15,556, or by 2,129 fewer from November 2021.

Money under the National Employment Action Plan was increased by 50 million leva to a record 123 million leva, said Gyokov. This will allow 22,000 jobless to begin work, 11,000 to undergo professional training and 9,150 jobless from disadvantaged groups will begin work under regional employment programmes. The Minister also said that the 60/40 job retention scheme was extended by June 30.

The minimum working wage was increased from 650 leva to 710 as of April 1 2022. A draft mechanism for fixing the minimum working wage has been drawn up, said Gyokov and said that it will be put for public consultation.