Germany Raises Minimum Wage to €12.82 and Mini-Job Salary Threshold as of January 1, 2025
From January 1, 2025, Germany has introduced two important updates that will benefit students and job seekers
In a recent update on the Labour and Social Policy Ministry's achievements from June to December 2023, Minister Ivanka Shalapatova revealed plans for a significant increase in the minimum monthly wage, set to rise to BGN 933, marking nearly a 20% increment from its current level. This move is anticipated to positively impact over 500,000 workers across the country.
Shalapatova emphasized the government's commitment to enhancing the income of workers and pensioners. She highlighted the introduction of a voucher scheme offering free digital skills training on December 21, aiming to enhance the labor market situation. Additionally, the Ministry intervened in wage arrears amounting to over BGN 6 million and addressed 2,000 cases of individuals working without employment contracts.
Moreover, the Minister outlined upcoming pension increases, stating that as of July 1, 2024, pensions granted until the end of 2023 would see an 11% surge. This measure is projected to elevate the average pension to BGN 833, a significant rise from the current figure.
Shalapatova also detailed the Ministry's initiatives concerning energy assistance and support for heating bills, benefitting hundreds of thousands of families. The Ministry has actively addressed challenges posed by natural disasters throughout the year while focusing on planning early childhood development policies.
Additionally, Shalapatova highlighted progress in moving children out of old-style care homes, expressing her commitment to this cause over the last 30 years.
In Krivodol, a municipality in Northwestern Bulgaria, local authorities are taking steps toward the eurozone transition well ahead of the February 20 deadline
Boyko Borissov, leader of GERB, defended the government’s progress on Bulgaria’s path to the eurozone
Bulgaria could adopt the euro as its official currency from January 1, 2026, if it successfully meets the necessary criteria for joining the eurozone
The municipal councils in Kozloduy and Krivodol have become the first in Bulgaria to implement dual pricing for municipal services, taxes, and fees
Bulgaria’s draft budget for 2024 raises questions about its realism and whether it is a mere strategy to appease the European Commission and the European Central Bank
Parvomay Municipality in Bulgaria has become one of the first to prepare for the country’s euro adoption
Bulgaria's Perperikon: A European Counterpart to Peru's Machu Picchu
Bulgarians Among EU's Least Frequent Vacationers, Struggling with Affordability