The Bulgarian government allocates BGN 51 million for Christmas bonuses for the poorest pensioners.

Christmas bonus of 40 BGN will be given to each pensioner who receives less than BGN 363 BGN monthly pension, which is the new poverty line, BNR said on November 20, BNT reported.

Labour and Social Policy Minister Minister Bisser Petkov said that nearly 1, 276 million pensioners will be entitled to the Christmas bonus of BGN 40 (Euro 20).

Prime Minister Borissov commented this is the eighth time the government has paid Christmas bonuses to pensioners. He said that with the sum approved at a cabinet meeting, his third government had provided nearly half a billion BGN in pension supplements, “plus a 6.7% increase in pensions, plus what we have decided with the new budget to increase the minimum pension to BGN 250,“ he noted.