The minimum wage will be increased to 1213 leva (620.20 euros) from January 1, 2026. This decision was made at today"s meeting of the Council of Ministers, the government press service announced. The increase represents a 12.6% increase or 136 leva compared to the current minimum wage. The minimum hourly wage will reach 7.31 leva (3.74 euros).
The decision, announced today, promises a significant effect on the income of a significant part of the population. The increase is expected to affect nearly 600,000 people, and the improvement in pay will also cover other areas. Among those affected are about 83,000 personal assistants who provide care for children and adults with disabilities. In addition, there will also be an increase for those working in social services funded by the state, for professional foster families and for all those participating in employment programs and measures funded by the budget.
The increase in the minimum wage is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Labor Code. This move reflects consistency with one of the possible reference values for assessing adequacy, offered by the Directive on minimum wages in the European Union. This directive provides that minimum wages should represent 50% of the Gross Average Wage.
The increase is expected to have a positive impact on various aspects of the economy and society. The higher minimum wage will contribute to reducing poverty among workers, while increasing the purchasing power and consumption of the lowest-income groups in the labor market. The cabinet informed that the proposed amount of 1213 leva corresponds to the forecasts for the growth of Gross Domestic Product and the labor market in the country.
In addition to the decision on the minimum wage, the draft law on the state budget for 2026 was also adopted at today"s meeting of the Council of Ministers.