Protests Across Several Sectors as Medics, Agricultural Workers and Social Services Demand Higher Pay

Doctors and employees from the state administration held a protest in front of the National Assembly today, November 26. Workers in the agriculture and forestry sectors are demanding higher wages, while healthcare staff insist on a clear mechanism for distributing the additional 260 million euros allocated for salaries in the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund. During their lunch break, employees of the Social Assistance Agency, the Employment Agency and the General Labour Inspectorate also staged protests across the country.

According to the demonstrators, the average salary in the food safety, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture agencies, agricultural services and environmental inspectorates ranges between 1,500 and 1,800 leva.

Stefan Georgiev, “Irrigation Systems” – Pernik:
"As I already said, I earn only slightly above the minimum wage. Let a member of parliament come and try to live for a month on my salary — paying for electricity, utilities, commuting costs. Would they be able to buy clothes or anything else with that amount?"

Dora Gavrilova, Regional Directorate of Agriculture – Kyustendil:
"We are talking about expert-level positions, not managerial ones — the average salary in the regional directorates is 1,548 leva. You can judge for yourselves what this amount can cover, especially with more than 20 years of work experience."

Union representatives from Podkrepa are calling for around 65 million euros to be earmarked in next year’s budget to raise wages, arguing that this year’s pay rise of under 5% is insufficient. Workers say they need an increase of around 1,000 leva to meet basic living costs.

Aneliya Ivanova, Chair of the National Federation “Forestry and Agriculture” at “Podkrepa” trade union:
"This year the salary increase was less than 5%. We are firmly opposed to wages being frozen at this level next year. These people are not asking for billions. We are talking about a pay rise of around 1,000 leva so that they can meet their everyday needs."

Medical nurses working in school health offices, kindergartens and nurseries also demanded a 20% pay rise, pointing out that they currently earn around 1,300 leva despite their high responsibility in caring for children.

Elina Dimitrova, school nurse in Kardzhali:
"We also deserve to be heard and seen. There is no greater responsibility than a child’s life — a little one who cannot even say where it hurts. We deserve a pay rise, not a paltry 5%, which is humiliating."

Rositsa Paleshnikova, Chair of the Medical Federation at “Podkrepa” trade union:
"There is never any money for them. The unified spending standard rises by between 2% and 54%, yet the number of children is falling and their salaries remain unchanged for three or four years."

The trade union is also calling for pay rises in emergency centres, psychiatric facilities and regional health inspectorates.

During their lunch break, employees of the Labour Inspectorate, as well as staff from the Social Assistance and Employment Agencies across the country, also joined the nationwide protest. They too are demanding a 20% increase in wages.

Kremena Atanasova, Chair of Union of Administrative Employees at “Podkrepa”:
"In these three institutions, salaries are in the range of 1,500–1,600 leva gross, which, as you understand, means about 1,300 leva after deductions — and people are expected to live on that and support families."

Rosen Rusanov, Labour Inspectorate inspector, Ruse:
"The stress is immense. Conflict situations are constant."

"We are not the so-called bag-carriers or freeloaders. We are ordinary employees who perform honest, decent work and seek fair pay."

The protesters warned they would launch full-scale strikes if their demands are not met.