Length-of-Service Allowances Discussed in Bulgaria’s Parliament

The topic of abolishing the monthly length-of-service allowance was subject to disputes in Bulgaria’s Parliament on 14 July. In a meeting with employers’ organisations on 13 July, Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov supported the idea. The Chair of Parliament’s Budget Committee, Menda Stoyanova, today also opted for abolishing these allowances. The idea is the monthly length-of-service allowances, calculated as a percentage to the basic wage, to be included in the basis wage and not to accumulate percentage for every year of service.

Menda Stoyanova said that this was introduced for the civil servants and pointed out the salary increase should depend on the work and qualification of the workers.

Having more years of service does not mean that you are more highly qualified or that you have better performance than a young person who started work five years ago. There are even many cases where this is inversely proportional, Stoyanova said.

However, neither the main ruling party GERB, nor the junior coalition partner United Patriots, have discussed the idea in their parliamentary groups.

Iskren Vesselinov, an MP from the united Patriots group said that at this stage their parliamentary group did not have a position.

The opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party are firmly against the cancelling of the length-of-service allowance.

Georgi Gyokov, BSP for Bulgaria said: Would you prefer to be operated by a surgeon who has just graduated or by a surgeon with 20-25 years of experience. So that is the answer to the question about the work experience.

Hasan Ademov, MRF, Chair of the Committee on Labor and Social Policy in Parliament said that a balanced solution should be sought for. He added that whatever decision is made, it should not lead to reduction in the workers’ income and the legislation should ensure that.

He said that there should be a broad discussion on the issue in Parliament, and by the Tripartite Council, in order to make a decision which does not harm workers.