site.btaGovernment to Propose Minimum Wage of BGN 770 for 2023 to Employers, Unions

Deputy Prime Minister and Labour and Social Policy Minister Lazar Lazarov told a news conference on Wednesday that the cabinet would propose to the trade unions and employers' organizations a minimum monthly wage of BGN 770 as of January 2023. The government proposes that the minimum wage be set automatically irrespective of other factors at 50% of the average wage for the previous year. This is how the proposed minimum wage of BGN 770 was arrived at, said Lazarov.

The Social Policy Minister said this is a baseline version which would first be discussed with the social partners and could then become part of the 2023 State Budget.

This would end the current practice when the government sets the minimum wage by an administrative procedure and the mechanism will be consistent with the future EU directive on adequate minimum wages.

As of April 1, 2022, the minimum wage is BGN 710.