[size=85:38mw0agh]NSI

Average Bulgarian Salary Up to BGN 689 March 2011

In January and February, employees received BGN 663 on average.

In the first quarter of 2011 in comparison with the fourth quarter of 2010 the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 0.3% getting BGN 671. The highest decreases in wages and salaries were reported in "
Professional, scientific and technical activities - 13.0%, "
Wholesale and retail trade;
repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles"
- 11.5% and "
Information and communication"
- 11.1%.

The highest decrease in average monthly wages and salaries in first quarter of 2011 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2010 was observed in economic activities: "
Education"
- 14.1% and "
Other service activities"
- 10.8%.

Compared to the first quarter of 2010 the average monthly wages and salaries in the first quarter of 2011 rose by 8.4%. The highest growth rates were recorded in economic activities: "
Professional, scientific and technical activities"
- 20.5%' "
Information and communication"
- 20.3% and "
Wholesale and retail trade;
repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles"
- 17.5%

At the end of March 2011 the number of Bulgarian employees under labour contract decreased by 1.3 thousand. or 0.1% as compared to the end of December 2010 and reached 2.15 million. The highest decrease of employees was in economic activities "
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply"
- 3.9%, "
Construction"
- 3.7% and "
Manufacturing"
- 2.6%.

The highest increase was observed in economic activity "
Real estate activities"
- 19.0% and "
Agriculture, forestry and fishing"
- 9.7%.

In the structure of employees by economic activities the biggest relative share of employees was in "
Manufacturing"
- 22.8% and "
Wholesale and retail trade;
repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles"
- 18.2%.

At the end of March 2011 as compared to March 2010 the number of employees under labour contract declined by 41 thousand. or 1.9%. The highest decrease in absolute figures was observed in economic activities "
Manufacturing"
- 19.4 thousand., "
Construction"
- 18.8 thousand. and "
Wholesale and retail trade;
repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles"
- 12.5 thousands

[size=55:mn29s6zz]novinite

Bulgaria increases minimum salary

The minimum monthly salary in Bulgaria will be raised to 145 Euro a month, the government has decided. The salary is based on an 8-hour workday for five-day work week. The agreement was based on the opportunities provided by the level of development of Bulgarian economy and the will of the government to combat the negative effects of the crisis.