Bulgarian Govt Proposes to Cut Severance Payment, Paid Leave for Interior Ministry Office Staff

Bulgaria's government has proposed to cut by 40% the one-off compensation paid upon retirement to Interior Ministry staff employed in administrative job positions.

The proposed change to the Interior Ministry Act has been approved by the government at its weekly meeting on Wednesday as part of reorganization of structures and staff within the ministry aimed at boosting efficiency and cutting costs.

The planned cut in the number of monthly salaries paid as a lump sum upon retirement to 12 from the current 20 would only apply to Interior Ministry employees hired after the proposed legislative change cleared parliament and took effect, the government said in a statement. The proposal wouldn't affect the public servants employed by the ministry at present.

Another proposed change to the Interior Ministry Act approved on Wednesday calls for cutting the paid annual leave to 25 from 30 days for employees doing office work.

Government plans to cut the one-off compensation paid upon retirement for all Interior Ministry employees, trim the additional payments pegged to the number of years in service as well as the duration of paid annual leave for all employees sparked protests of police officers, prison guards as well as firefighters late last year.

Faced with the protests, the ministry withdrew the planned changes, which it had included in the 2016 budget draft, and promised to discuss them with trade unions before submitting them as draft legislation to Parliament.