Bulgaria 2027 budget: child benefits up 16–56%, public pay +5%

Bulgaria’s draft 2027 budget raises all child and family benefits by 16% to 56%, gives all public-sector workers 5% more pay and lifts pay in education by 7.5%, Labour Minister Nataliya Efremova said in Varna on 16 October 2026, according to BTA. Pensions are due to rise in mid-2027. None of this is final: the budget bill has not yet reached parliament.

What did the minister announce in Varna?

Efremova spoke to journalists on the sidelines of a law and business conference at the University of Economics – Varna. According to BTA, she listed these measures in the draft:

• Child and family benefits: every benefit rises, by between 16% and 56% depending on its type.
• Public sector: a 5% rise in all salaries; in the public administration pay should depend on each employee’s performance.
• Education: a 7.5% rise.
• Maternity: the benefit paid in the second year of childcare goes up, and incentives for mothers who return to work are increased. No amounts were given.
• Pensions: an increase in the middle of 2027, with no percentage yet. More on our page about pensions in 2026–2027.

She also gave a range of €620 to €672.80 for the 2027 minimum wage; the labour ministry has since put €660 to the social partners. Our page on the 2027 minimum wage follows that decision.

Why is the budget so tight?

Bulgaria is under an EU excessive deficit procedure and must bring its deficit below 3% of GDP by 2029, BTA reports. According to Capital, the 2027 plan sent to the European Commission targets a deficit of 4.3% of GDP. Efremova said EU institutions had called for lower social spending, but that the government could not cut it. The tax measures are covered in our 2027 budget and tax explainer.

When will the budget be adopted?

The Public Finance Act requires the bill to reach parliament by 31 October, and that deadline was missed: Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on 26 October the bill would come after the presidential runoff, Capital reports. On 29 October Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov said it would likely be presented the following week, the week of 2 November, provided talks with the European Commission are concluded, according to BTA. No adopted bill had been published as of 1 November 2026. Parliament then debates it, and the percentages above can still change.

What it means for Varna

• Families: every child and family benefit would rise if the budget passes. Even the smallest increase, 16%, is well above annual inflation of 5.7% (NSI, September 2026); the new amounts per benefit are still to be published.
• Teachers and school staff: the education rise of 7.5% is above the 5% planned for the rest of the public sector.
• Public-sector workers: people in Varna whose pay comes from the state budget, such as staff of state offices and agencies, would get 5% more under the draft.
• Newcomers: who qualifies for family benefits is decided by the Social Assistance Agency; check your case with its Varna office before you plan around them. Our partner site explains the cost of living in Varna.

We will update this page when the bill is published and when parliament votes.