Bulgarian Unions Protest Wage Demands Amid Black Sea Supply Crisis

The Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria staged a protest in Sofia demanding a 10% public-sector wage increase and job guarantees, rejecting the proposed minimum monthly wage of 660 euros. Union representatives met with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Galab Donev, and although talks did not reach an agreement, both sides agreed to explore raising the planned 5% wage increase to 10%. Separately, the Black Sea crisis has disrupted raw material supplies to Bulgaria’s ferrous metals industry, forcing a plant in Debelt to operate only two weeks a month.

The labor dispute puts pressure on the national budget and wage policy in Bulgaria. Concurrently, the raw material shortages are directly impacting the operational capacity and output of the ferrous metals industry.