Wages and salaries

The announcements that will concern banks and issues regarding their taxation, banking charges and deposit fees will be made during the budget debate in Parliament this week, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said in a television interview with Open TV Friday.

As of January 1, 2026, salaries for new entrants in the public sector will increase by the same amount as the minimum wage in the private sector. For the next three years, the process for determining the minimum wage in the private sector will follow the same timetable currently in place.

From January 1, 2026, entry-level public sector salaries in Greece will increase in line with the minimum wage set for the private sector, according to a new labor law draft. However, for 2025, a unique approach will apply, as outlined in the draft legislation of the Ministry of Labor, which is open for public consultation until November 21.

Salaries have increased in total by 12-46% over the last five years in the 20 sectors with the greatest employment, according to the Labor Ministry's Ergani database.

The Chairman of the Board of the Industrial Capital Association in Bulgaria (AIKB), Vasil Velev, has suggested a freeze on pensions and salaries for a year. Speaking to BNR, Velev stated that AIKB is firmly against tax increases and instead advocates for wage freezes and layoffs.

Fines amounting to 49,200 euros have been imposed in 43 cases where employers checked by the Labor Inspectorate had failed to comply with laws concerning the minimum wage, according to an announcement on Wednesday.

The Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) is calling for a 10% salary increase in the public sector next year, which would require an additional 1.8 billion leva.

According to Eurostat data from July 1, 2024, Bulgaria has the lowest minimum wage in the European Union, standing at 477 euros per month. This places Bulgaria at the bottom of the EU rankings, with Hungary, Latvia, and Romania following, where minimum wages are up to 750 euros per month.

Increasing the minimum wage and improving the National Health System (ESY) are the two key priorities for the conservative government's second term, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said during a press conference at the Thessaloniki International Fair in northern Greece on Sunday.

Overtime hours increased significantly in 2024, reaching 1.53 million in the first seven months, according to data from the ERGANI system. This rise is largely attributed to the introduction of the digital work card.