According to the leader of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) Plamen Dimitrov, the system of social assistance must be reformed without a reduction of the financing; the poorest pensioners can receive a bonus through the pension system but through the social assistance system, according to BNR.

‘’I am getting the impression that the future minister of labour and social policy will be from GERB party, it would be better if he or she was not a political nomination but someone who has worked in the system’’, said Plamen Dimitrov.

The United Patriots stated they were not prepared to put forward their own nomination in the sphere of labour and social policy, he added, answering question whether the CITUB was skeptical of a United Patriots nomination becoming social minister.

‘’I am expecting a restart of the dialogue at the National Council of Trilateral Cooperation before the formulation of the new programme of governance’’, Plamen Dimitrov added.

He stated that according to the CITUB an average monthly salary of BGN 1,500 is absolutely attainable, adding that last year, the growth rate of this index stood at 10.5%, though 70% of Bulgarian workers receive salaries below the average.

The way in which the United Patriots are proposing a rise in pensions calls into question the pension system as such, as well as the idea of fairness, Dimitrov said, noting that ‘’the social benefit system must be reformed if we want it to be efficient.’’