THE BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES CHRISTMAS BONUSES FOR PENSIONERS

Bulgaria’s Council of Ministers has made a decision on providing additional financial resources for Christmas bonuses for pensioners. 50 million BGN will be allocated for the Christmas bonuses, announced the Deputy Prime Minister, Ivailo Kalfin, at a press conference following the weekly meeting of the cabinet on 19th of November.

He has said that the bonus will give recipients an extra 40 BGN per person and will be paid to pensioners who receive pensions and additional benefits, but remain below the poverty line - 286 BGN. The measure covers 1, 235,000 pensioners and they will receive the bonus together with their December pensions.

In 2013, Christmas bonuses were also paid to pensioners, based on the principle of the lowest income. The poverty line at that time was 251 BGN and the measure covered 1, 015, 000 people, who received an extra 50 GBN each, the Deputy Prime Minister reminded.