Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, is a strong opponent of the end of the year bonuses for State servants, known as "the 13th salary."

Djankov spoke Tuesday for the morning show of the TV channel bTV, where he vowed that until he is at the post, the employees of the State administration would not get the bonus.

"Even if there is money in the budget, there would not be a 13th salary – they work 12 months; they get 12-month pay," he declared.

Djankov reiterated what he said several days ago – no Christmas bonuses, but a possibility to give something to the retirees with the lowest pensions. He explained that it would all depend on how the recession of European economies is going to affect Bulgaria in October and November.

On other topics, the Minister voiced approval of the decision of the Parliament to not convene until the October 23 presidential and local elections all while the Members of the Parliament will receive pay.

"In the last weeks the parliamentary stand was used for election campaigning. It is better for the MPs to be where the people who have elected them are, and to find out what the voters need," Djankov pointed out.

He criticized the leadership of the National Revenue Agency, NRA, for not conducting effective probes of individuals with "unexplainable" wealth and promised to announce after the elections the names of popular people, who owe money to the State treasury, such as businessmen from the energy, grain and sugar sectors, he hinted.