"Podkrepa" Trade Union Calls on the President to Veto the State Budget Act

The Podkrepa Confederation of Labour has called on President Iliiana Iotova to veto the 2026 State Budget Act and return it to Parliament for further consideration.

The union objects to provisions contained in the Act's transitional and final clauses, which introduce substantial amendments to the Labour Code. The disputed changes concern the calculation of length of service and the mechanism for determining the minimum wage, according to a statement published on the union's website.

"These provisions are not merely technical budgetary rules. They have a direct impact on labour rights, incomes and the standard of living of hundreds of thousands of workers and should therefore be reconsidered by the National Assembly," the Confederation said.

The union argues that the amendments to the Labour Code require more than the formal observance of the procedures for tripartite social dialogue. It says a full assessment should also be carried out of their impact on workers, the state budget and businesses.

A few days earlier, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) also voiced objections to the budget. It called on Ombudswoman Velislava Delcheva to exercise her constitutional powers by referring the provisions concerning the minimum wage and length of service in the 2026 Budget Act to the Constitutional Court.

The parliamentary opposition has likewise criticised the adopted budget.

Later today, President Iotova is due to meet representatives of the parliamentary group of We Continue the Change, following the party's petition calling for a presidential veto of the 2026 State Budget Act.

Parliament gave final approval to the 2026 State Budget on Friday, 24 July.