About 13% of workers in Bulgaria receive a minimum wage, which puts our country in first place in the European Union in this indicator. This is according to data from the European statistical office Eurostat for 2022, published at the end of 2025. The report reveals serious disparities in the incomes of workers in different member states.
According to statistics, 13 million workers in 21 EU countries receive remuneration equal to or lower than the minimum. Bulgaria leads the negative ranking with a 13% share of these employees, closely followed by France (12.7%) and Slovenia (12.6%). The group of countries with over 10% share of workers on minimum wage also includes Romania (10.5%), Greece (10.2%), Poland (10.1%) and Hungary (10%).
To calculate these shares, Eurostat uses a threshold of 105% of the minimum wage, which also includes a small surcharge of 5% to correctly cover all cases.
At the other extreme are countries such as the Czech Republic, where only 2.6% of workers are on minimum wage. Low levels are also reported in Portugal (3.1%), Estonia (3.3%), the Netherlands and Malta (both 3.5%), as well as Spain (3.6%).
Among the large European economies, the difference between France and the rest is striking - while in France the share is 12.7%, in Germany it is 8%, and in Spain - only 3.6%.
Experts point out that the strength of unions and labor laws are key factors in these differences.
"In countries with stronger labor institutions and collective agreements, there are more likely to be fewer cases of workers receiving wages below the minimum wage", said Dr. Stefano Filauro of Sapienza University in Rome, quoted by Euronews.
He adds that in economies with developed high-tech sectors, the share of low-paid workers is naturally smaller.
In addition to being the leader in the number of workers on the minimum wage, Bulgaria also remains at the bottom in terms of the purchasing power of these incomes. Data on the purchasing power standard (PPS) show that our country has an index of 922, while in Luxembourg it is 2035, and in Germany – 1989.
Despite the alarming statistics, our country is taking steps to catch up with European levels. As of January 1, 2026, the minimum wage in Bulgaria will be increased to 1,213 leva (620.20 euros), which is a 12.6% increase compared to the current level. This increase is part of the mechanism for linking the minimum wage to the average wage for the country.
The data for Turkey, although coming from national sources, show an even more dramatic picture. The Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) reports that 37.5% of workers there earn minimum wage or less.
"In Turkey, the minimum wage has long ceased to be a threshold and has become an average wage," the DİSK union said in a statement.
Source: www.dunavmost.com