Balgarianovinite.com Meeting here on Tuesday, Bulgaria’s National Council for Tripartite Cooperation (NCTC) failed to reach agreement on civil servants’ social and health insurance contributions. The Government, the trade unions and the employers remained divided over a bill amending the Social Insurance Code moved by a group of Democratic Bulgaria MPs headed by Martin Dimitrov.
The Discussion
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Galab Donev (addressing the Council at the start of the meeting): The Government is drafting a version about civil servants’ social and health insurance contributions in a bid to achieve equality without denying rights and cutting income. This is social justice in action. The Government attaches paramount importance, when revising legislation, to respect the fundamental principles of labour and social-security law and to ensure a balance between the interests of factory and office workers and of employers. Proposals that are seemingly just but actually lead to reduction or income or loss of rights are unacceptable.
Martin Dimitrov MP of Democratic Bulgaria: Bulgaria is facing an excessive deficit procedure, which necessitates the taking of serious measures covering 2026 as well as at least the next five years. We are aware that we have a lot of voters who are civil servants, and they are highly intelligent and serious people. The bill seeks to equalize the sitution of the private and public sectors. The draft provides for a transitional period, with the ratio of civil servants’ to employer’s share in the contribution increasing from 2%/98% for 2026, 5%/95% for 2027, and 40%/60% for the seventh year of that period. Civil servants under the Civil Servants Act and the Judicial System Act number 61,200, and those under the Ministry of Interior Act and the Defence and Armed Forces Act total 70,200. The security sector cannot be exempted from the reform. If a reform is to be carried out, it must include all sector so as to be fair.
Bozhidar Bozhanov MP of Democratic Bulgaria (talking to reporters after the NTCT meeting): The NCTC showed that the reform we propose and on which we have insisted for more than a year now – that civil servants start paying their social and health insurance contributions – is supported in principle, including on the part of the powerholders, which is a good sign. We realized that they have acknowledged the need of civil servants starting to pay their contributions, and this proposal will most probably be part of the budget.
Labour and Social Policy Minister Nataliya Efremova: We do not accept this proposal. The bill does not ensure that income will not be decreased. It does not give assurance that justice for civil servants will be guaranteed.
Asya Goneva of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria: The proposal is cynical. If you were that much concenred about civil servants, you wouldn’t have moved a bill without having though that you are reducing their disposable income by it.
Atanas Katsarchev of the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour: If we would equalize rights and obligations, we must do it wholesale: whatever is provided for in the Labour Code should apply to civil servants, too, including the seniority bonus. The motion by Dimitrov and the group of MPs is done piecemeal. Civil servants are discriminated against compared to other employees because they cannot work elsewhere parttime and cannot own a company of their own.
Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA) Executive Director Dobrin Ivanov: BICA backs the proposal in principle. The bill is a step in the right direction because it redresses an injustice and equalizes the social and health insurance requirements for those working in the public and private sectors.
Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA) Vice President Maria Mincheva: BIA is of the opinion that civil servants should pay their personal contribution by themselves. The Association, however, has reservations regarding the practical implementation of the proposal because Dimitrov’s bill lacks estimates of its financial impact on the public social insurance budget. A roadmap for the pension system should be developed so as to distinguish the separate elements.
Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Vice-President Vasil Todorov: BCCI backs the proposal.
Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (KRIB) chief legal adviser Radka Yosifova: KRIB also backs the proposal. Social Partners Disagree on Civil Servants’ Social, Health Insurance Contributions 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-06-23 13:32:29 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law