The Committee on Labour, Social and Demographic Policy unanimously adopted in the first reading a draft law amending and supplementing the Labor Code. The importers are Cornelia Ninova and a group of people’s representatives from “BSP for Bulgaria”. With the voted proposal, it is proposed that the minimum wage for the country for the next calendar year be determined by October 31 of the current year and that it cannot be less than 50 percent of the average gross wage for the country for the 12 previous. months.
In the course of the debate, the deputies expressed some objections to the proposed proposal, but all were of the opinion that it is necessary to increase the minimum wage.
It was commented whether the increase could take place without a new budget for 2023, after the so-called State Budget Extension Law 2022.
Interim Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Policy Emil Mingov stressed that the bill was not supported by the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation.
The parliamentarians have asked for proposals to be made between the first and second reading of the bill.
“The social commission in the parliament has agreed that the minimum wage will become BGN 850.” This is what BSP leader Cornelia Ninova wrote on her official Facebook page.
“Reason prevailed. The Committee on Labor, Social and Demographic Policy unanimously accepted in the first reading the BSP’s proposal to raise the minimum wage to 50% of the average. For 2023, that means 850 lev. Thank you all parliamentary parties for their support. 500,000 working poor will feel our care for them. Let us quickly adopt the law in second reading. Then President Radev’s office, which was against this increase, will have nothing but to implement the decision of the parliament,” Ninova added.