Deputy minister of Finance Kiril Ananaiev and Deputy Minister of labor and SocialPolicy Ivanka Hristova met with representatives of workers in social homes.

Social workers are threatening with a strike and have made two claims – higher salaries and more money for social homes. They demanded a 20% hike in salaries as of January 2008, as well as a new mechanism defining their pay.

Deputy Ministrer Ananiev pointed out both issues are related to Budget 2007 and to Draft-Budget 2008. He said these issues are solved by the cabinet and not on the streets. Ananiev also added that the cabinet has already agreed on a hike in the salaries in the public sector, starting July 1, 2008, and the increase in the salaries of social workers will be 13.2%.

Emilia Maslarova,Minister of Labor and Social Policy, reminded that the number of workers in social homes in Bulgaria has been increased by 659 this year, and that was entirely financed with means from the state budget.