[size=85:3dc69268]TrudBG 17 June 2010

480 per month per person to live normally

To live normally, to pay current heating and fees per person had been required 480.68 leva in December last year Family of four two adults and two children had to have 1923 EUR, which is 0.5 percent more compared to September last year

This shows the analysis of the Institute for Social and Trade Union Studies CITUB cost of living in the last quarter of last year

Now 35.9 percent of households live with income per person to 240 leva, while those with more than 480 BGN 13.8%. Average income per person, which includes not only wages but also benefits, family allowances, etc.. Is 307.07 EUR and represents only 56.5 percent of the cost of living. So the Bulgarians gave up everything he is not indispensable. Do not buy new furniture and other goodies for your home, buy clothes and shoes in extreme need, deprived of leisure, stopping smoking, drinking cheaper alcohol to bind the family budget, experts say.

According to them, the average salary for the nine months of last year increased by 10.1 percent compared to January, but the increase was not due to real increases and reductions of staff in companies.

The higher cost of living at the end of 2009 is not due to higher food prices, which is 0.7 percent compared to third quarter, but because of increased prices of alcohol and cigarettes, the higher tuition fees, prices tickets to movies and theater, drinking water, medical services and medicines. The outlook for this year are even greater decline in living standards of households.

I dont know if this is a government thing but myself and Heather thats 2 adults have suvived the winter months far cheaper than this so dont know where these figures have come fom but they certainly are not right

How much you spend all depends on what you buy and the quality of goods. A good example of this is fruit and veg. Kaufland and Billa have the so called special offers, which at present is Tomatoes. The Bulgarian people are buying these by the bucket load. Which makes little sense as the home grown and local farm one's are nearly ready to eat.

Yes once again Mike is right to say that he and Heather can live on less than the amount stated in the article. But I think they also grow a lot of their own produce which like the Bulgarian villagers helps a great deal with the day to day finances.

Yes Tony your right we do grow a lot,just pulled the garlic and onions which will last us through the winter,also com potted all our cherries,also cucumbers are now ready,and being picked daily,tomatoes about another week,6 eggs a day from our chickens,so pretty self sufficent at the moment

I assume they are talking leva? if so the figures reflect life in Sofia not life in a village and assume that the family is paying rent, and have a car, most of which villagers rarely do.

Yes Scott it is leva, and I would think it would be quite hard to live on that although Mickhev seems to manage on less :Shocked:I don't know how though ???

Bulgarian salaries in 2010

The average Bulgarian salary for the third quarter of 2010 has increased at the expense of higher unemployment, according to experts from the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB). Data of the National Statistical Institute show that from the third trimester of 2008 until the same period this year, the number of employed has fallen by 312 000 people. Comparing the number of the employed with the average salary, CITUB experts have concluded that there is an actual stagnation of Bulgarian incomes, with the increase in payments being only on the account of layoffs.
The story is quite different in the various sectors of the economy. Some account for drops in unemployment and salaries alike. According to CITUB, in the sectors of textile and leather, as well as construction, unemployment rates have risen and salaries have been frozen. There are some 820 000 people working in these sectors, for whom the crisis feels very real. Somewhat better is the situation in the sectors of the mining industry, energy production and distribution, part of the food processing industry, chemical production, as well as computer technologies and electronics. These sectors have around 350 000 people employed, with salaries being on the increase and no significant reduction in the number of workers. The sectors that rank first in terms of remuneration and high employment are those related to the exports of pharmaceutical products, financial services, as well as information technologies. They provide jobs to some 170000 people, and it can be said they have already overcome the crisis. These companies seem to be doing well, providing also high remuneration packages. Listen next what Plamen Dimitrov, Head of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria has to say about the matter:

“These sectors, which economic-wise have better chances, will create opportunities for getting through the crisis. The budget sphere, however, will keep suffering stagnation, which will not feed consumption and enhance additional growth. The labour market is yet to experience different times in the next year”, Plamen Dimitrov said for Radio Bulgaria.

According to CITUB, the healthcare system is also in dire straits, with salaries dropping by 20% in the 2010 third quarter. The sectors of culture, education and science have been suffering for a second year now a strongly restrictive policy. Salaries are frozen and any possible costs are cut, CBIS says. For a second year the poverty line has been set at 105 Euro per month. From CBIS think the poverty line should be higher, since the cost of living has risen. At the moment some 1 200 000 Bulgarians are living under the poverty line. However, experts outside CITUB believe that around 25% of the Bulgarian population is below the poverty line.

[size=55:wji6ppx1]novinite

Bulgarian Cabinet with Surprising Plans for Wage Increase

The cabinet will begin in March negotiations with the labor unions and the employers for possible increase of the minimum wages and retirement pensions in Bulgaria.

The surprising news was announced Tuesday by the Social Minister, Totyu Mladenov, who pointed out the government plans for 2011 to reduce the insurance system deficit by BGN 600 M.

The Minister declined committing to an exact amount of the increase on the grounds precise calculations were needed in times of strong fiscal discipline.

"
Compared to last year, when Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, was skeptical about increasing wages, his forecast for 2011 is much more optimistic,"
Mladenov said.

The 2011 budget, however, does not include funds for wages and pensions.

The Minister further explained that from the EU "
Human Resources"
Operational Program, BGN 400 M were slated for 2011 to assist the labor market while the Bank for Development would offer loans in the amount of EUR 25 000 to people who want to open a small business.

Mladenov expects to receive by the end of January a report of the Main Labor Inspectorate listing companies which fail to pay their workers regularly.

74 companies owe about BGN 19 M. Those who fail to pay will be prosecuted, the Minister warned.

Admin wrote:

The Minister further explained that from the EU "
Human Resources"
Operational Program, BGN 400 M were slated for 2011 to assist the labor market while the Bank for Development would offer loans in the amount of EUR 25 000 to people who want to open a small business.

I'll believe that when it happens

[size=55:1b871lpu]novinite

Bulgaria's PM: Salaries Increase for Hard Workers

There will be a significant increase of Bulgarians' incomes when they start working hard to make money, Bulgaria's PM Boyko Borisov has announced.

"
The incomes increase even at present for people who work and have good results. Incomes will increase when we make our economy in a way that would allow us to give money,"
Borisov said Friday in an interview for the Bulgarian channel TV 7.

The Confederation of Bulgarian Independent Syndicates, KNSB, has requested an increase of the minimum wage by BGN 50, in order to reach BGN 290.

In this way the minimum wage would cover the real poverty line, which is BGN 250, according to the syndicates, and BGN 211, according to the Bulgarian government.

KNSB has released data, which shows that the average level of inflation in the country reached 6.4% in 2010 and the cost of living became "
surprisingly high even for times of economic crisis."


However, the employees have stated that a potential increase of wages would also increase unemployment.

On Friday Borisov praised Finance Minister Simeon Djankov for Thursday's decision of the European Commission to check off Bulgarian from its deficit watch list as it has taken adequate steps to correct it.

According to the prime minister, another success for Bulgaria is the maintaining the taxes, increase of absorption of EU funds, large infrastructure projects and seizing of smuggled cigarettes and alcohol.

"
My colleagues are working very well and they will continue to work even harder,"
Borisov said.

Admin wrote:

There will be a significant increase of Bulgarians' incomes when they start working hard to make money,

Working hard does not mean endless coffee and cigarette breaks. Will the Bulgarians understand that?

In a word "
NO!

Novinite

Bulgarian Finance Minister Dampers Wage Increase Hopes

Bulgarian Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, dismisses any talks about increasing salaries and pensions in 2011.
There are no funds in budget 2011 to increase minimum wages and/or minimum retirement pensions, Bulgarian Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, declared.

In the beginning of the week, the Minister of Social Policy and Labor, Totyu Mladenov, hinted minimum wages and pensions might go up beginning July 1, 2011 – a move interpreted by many as part of the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party election campaign since budget 2011, indeed, does not foresee increase of salaries and pensions. (Local and presidential elections are to be held in the fall of 2011.)

Also during the week, the labor union, Confederation of Bulgarian Independent Syndicates, KNSB, issued a proposal to increase minimum monthly wages by BGN 50 to reach BGN 290 a month, again starting on July 1, 2011.

The Finance Minister has firmly dismissed both proposals.

On another subject, Djankov announced cabinet's plans to connect electronically grain producers with the National Revenue Agency similarly to gas stations, in order to improve accounting of revenues. There are such plans for pharmacies and wine makers as well.

Novinite

Bulgarian Ministers Clash on Minimum Wage Increase

Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, has made a rushed statement regarding the freeze of minimum wages and retirement pensions in Bulgaria, according to Social Policy Minister, Totyu Mladenov.

The two have exchanged several opinions on the subject lately, showing they strongly differ on the subject.

Mladenov reiterated there is a possibility to increase minimum income, saying "
pensions can go up in the second half of the year."


Djankov is firm minimum wages are to remain frozen in 2011 since budget 2011 has already been passed and it does not include funds for salaries and pensions.

"
It all depends on the first 6 months. If revenues exceed what has been projected, I do not see a reason to not increase pensions. When we find out the amount of revenues for the first half of the year, then we can comment. I think Djankov's words are hasty,"
Mladenov is quoted saying.

Novinite

Bulgarian Govt's Labor Market Measures Said to Finally Bear Fruit

Bulgaria's Labor Minister Totyu Mladenov expects an improvement of the labor market largely as a result of the government funded programs.

"
After February I expect a revival of the labor market. We have allocated over BGN 400 M for training and qualification programs,"
Mladenov told BNR on Sunday.

With respect to his divergence of opinion with Finance Minister Simeon Djankov on whether the minimum wage and retirement pensions will be increased in 2011, Mladenov appears to be yielding ground.

In the past two days, he and Djankov exchanged their views on the topic, with Djankov insisting no wage and pension hikes have been envisaged for 2011, and Mladenov assuming that the minimum wage could be increased from BGN 240 to BGN 290 in July if the Bulgarian economy performs better than expected in the first half of the year.

On Sunday, however, the Labor Minister was much more cautious.

"
The revenues and expenditures are what they were planned to be, and there will be no opportunities to increase pensions. But we will watch the situation very closely. It is too early to talk. We will decide on the first half of the year is over, once we see how the economy is doing,"
Mladenov declared.

He boasted that joint operations with the Labor Inspectorate have led to 74 companies delaying their workers' salaries to have already paid half of all overdue wages.

Mladenov also mentioned that there are a total of 77 nursing homes in Bulgaria, funded by the Bulgarian state, with 5 500 residents and 1 500 people waiting for a spot in them.