384 leva has been the average monthly salary Bulgarians hired on labor contracts received in the fisrt quarter of the year, shows data announced by the National Statistics Institute.

Highest salaries are received by employees in the extraction industries – an average of 670 leva, followed by salaries in the field of the production and distribution of electricity, gas and water where the average monthly stood at 666 leva in the first quarter of the year.

The statistics shows lowest wages are received in the hotel and restaurant business – 259 leva per month.

Salaries in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector have also remained relatively low – 273 leva/month.