The cancellation of the current formula for determining the minimum wage and the lack of a new clear formula create a risk of lower incomes for workers.
This was stated to journalists in Dobrich by the leader of “We continue the change” Assen Vassilev. He is in the city on the occasion of the Dobrich holiday and laid a wreath at the monument to General Ivan Kolev.
Vassilev pointed out that in his opinion the problem stems from the fact that the previous formula, which gave an amount of 690 euros, is being canceled, without introducing a new formula.
According to him, the Labor Code provides for four general criteria, and their specific application will be further determined by a government regulation.
“What they explained in a committee on a piece of paper on September 24 was that in the best case it would be 670 euros, in the worst case it would be 620 euros, as it is now“, said Assen Vassilev.
He expressed disagreement with the possibility of the minimum wage being lower than the amount that would result from the previous formula, and linked this to rising prices and inflation.
On the topic of food vouchers, Vassilev said that the proposal to tax them makes the social benefit meaningless. He recalled that the amount of the vouchers was increased in 2022 from 60 to 200 leva. According to him, if a tax is charged on the vouchers, it would be more appropriate to provide the funds as part of the remuneration.
The second topic that Assen Vassilev commented on to the media was related to the fuel measures. He described it as an “absolutely inadequate solution” the proposal to eliminate the excise tax on propane-butane, indicating that the main problem in his opinion is related to the prices of gasoline and diesel.
Vassilev recalled the 2022 measure for a direct discount of 25 stotinki per liter of fuel for private cars and described it as more effective for Bulgarian families.
He gave the example of Germany, where, according to him, a similar discount has been introduced, and expressed the opinion that the planned aid of 50 euros only for the socially disadvantaged will not be sufficient.
According to Assen Vassilev, high prices of electricity and fuels put pressure on the profits of enterprises and limit their opportunities to increase wages, while at the same time creating prerequisites for raising prices.