Bulgarian Civil Servants to Get 10% Raise - FinMin

Bulgaria's civil servants will receive a 10% raise of their salaries with the state budget for 2013, stated Bulgarian Minister of Finance Simeon Djankov Tuesday.

"This increase will be effective starting January 1, 2013, and is more than the 5% we initially had in mind," said Djankov, as reported by the Focus Information Agency.

According to the Bulgarian FinMin, the raise will be 11% for teachers in public schools and kindergartens, who will also get payments for work attire.

The 10% raise will cover all other civil servants, who, as the minister reiterated, will however not get Christmas bonuses.

Christmas bonuses will however be available for Bulgaria's pensioners, granted that the state budget for 2012 comes out positive in November, said Djankov, confirming promises voiced earlier.

Retirement pensions in Bulgaria will also receive an increase with different rates, starting April 2013.

This is the first increase in state-funded salaries and pensions for Bulgaria's center-right GERB cabinet since it came to power in 2009.

Senior GERB officials, including cabinet members and GERB chair and Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov have said that the party hopes to be able to form a new cabinet after parliamentary elections in the summer of 2013.

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