Despite the rain and colder weather, Bulgarian pensioners renewed their social protest, gathering in front of the Parliament for an eighth week in a row.

More than 300 elderly Bulgarians went out onto the street and renewed their claims to the government to take steps for improving their life standard.

Living on as meager an average pension as BGN 100 (about EUR 50), Bulgarian pensioners are forced to lead a miserable life, which they say, no human being deserves.

Raising the pensions by 8.5% was simply mockery, the protesters claimed, enraged that even those menial percents would be added as late as July.

After weeks of protests the Labour Ministry has announced this week there is an option to increase the pensions as early as April, but they warned the percentage in this case wouldn't be as high.

But protestors seem not to accept a partial solution and demand that an increase of 20% is enforced as soon as this month. Thus protests on Thursdays will continue until the government finally "hears" the demands, pensioners said.

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