Bulgarians’ income will drop 7% in the forthcoming year, Ivan Kokalov, Vice-President of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria, commented after a sitting of the National Council for Trilateral Cooperation.

The 2011 draft budget will freeze incomes, and will not provide any mechanisms for revenue improvement, trade unionists reckon.

Bulgarian Labour Minister Totyu Mladenov had suggested that the minimum wage rise to 135 euro, Mr Kokalov added. As of 1 April 2011, the flat-rate VAT in tourism will be 9%, he said further.