[size=55:amr30s0y]BNR

Prices continue to increase and Bulgarians become poorer, trade unions say



The cost of living in Bulgaria has increased by nearly 7% for a year, according to the statistic data by the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria. The biggest trade union in the country reminds that budget salaries and pensions are frozen, while increase of incomes in the private sector is minimal. Unemployment grows and more people go below poverty line, CITUB says and adds that in the autumn it will insist on changes in the policy.

According to Eurostat, the increase of cost of living in the European countries is related mainly to increase of prices of transport and the price of real estates. In Bulgaria the situation is different as the increase of the cost of living is related to the prices of food. According to the National Statistical Institute, the price of cooking oil has increased by 32% for a year. The price of butter increased by 28%, while the price of sugar is up by nearly 50%. Vegetables also cost 30% more. Inflation in Bulgaria is 3.5%, which is above the average level for the EU of 3.1%. A family of four needs at least 1080 Euro a month in Bulgaria but there a few Bulgarian families with such incomes. According to the national statistic data, revenues of households decreased by 2.1%.

According to Plamen Dimitrov, President of CITUB, the cost of living will continue to increase.
“The cost of living in comparison to June 2010 has grown by 6.8%, which is a worrying fact. We take in mind also the growing prices of fuels, electricity, and heating. These facts confirm our fears that by the end of the year inflation would reach 8-9%. This is high above the expectations of the government and would reduce the purchase ability of a number of Bulgarians.”

The average salary in Bulgaria for the first quarter of 2011is 343 Euro a month, which shows an increase of 3.7%. The main reason, however, is the decreasing number of employed people. The employed are 47,000 less than a year ago. According to trade unions, 28% of Bulgarians live below the poverty line. However, there are industry sectors that mark stable growth, but this affects salaries slightly, Mr. Dimitrov says. Such are coal mining, production of electric machinery, paper, and others.

“The growth trend in the producing sectors is not related to increase of salariesр CITUB President Plamen Dimitrov further explains. A number of our federations are to negotiate over increase of the salaries in these sectors, based on the actual growth.”

CITUB are also to insist for a 10% growth of salaries in the budget sector in 2012. But even if that becomes a reality Bulgarians would continue to have the lowest incomes in Europe.

I have noticed that there has been significant price rises across the board for food in supermarkets and VT bazaar. I think Brits should bear the Bulgarian salaries in mind when they complain of things not being done in the country. Few British people understand what real poverty is. In UK people consider themselves poor when they can't afford Sky TV etc whereas here its not being able to put adequate food on the table. Pause to think before complaining about life here.