People at risk of poverty and social exclusion are over 30% in Bulgaria. A large part of them cannot fully heat their homes - they choose whether to live warm or to eat normally. This is what he commented in the “Interview in NOVA News” the chief economist of KNSB Lyuboslav Kostov.
„65% of working people in Bulgaria cannot reach the net amount of living expenses - 1454 BGN. It is even more worrying that over 1/3 have an income of up to BGN 1,000. Between 20 and 30% of those employed in the regional cities and municipalities around them are on the minimum wage. Sofia, Varna and Plovdiv artificially raise the average salary levels. 800,000 people have an income of up to BGN 933. This is about 1/4 of the employed and 40% of all employed, he commented.
In his words, KTD and the unions are raising wages by at least 14%. “About 1.2 million pensioners are around the poverty line - 567 BGN. Those who work are in the working poor category. If you work until May 7, you will receive one minimum wage in Luxembourg. In one month, minimum wage low-skilled workers there receive as much as we do in 4.5 months. In Germany, the period with the same condition is 3.5 months. The difference in the purchasing power of our salaries and those in the West is huge, Kostov believes.
Among the goals it sets is for the KTD to reach 80% coverage so that the minimum and average wages can increase by at least 14%.