A package of legislative changes submitted by “Democratic Bulgaria” is aiming to overhaul multiple areas of public administration, social policy, and state spending, with the party arguing the reforms would produce a “more transparent, modern and fair state.”
One of the most significant proposals targets the system of civil service compensation. The draft legislation would require civil servants to begin paying their own social security contributions, bringing them closer in line with private sector employees. The reform is designed to be phased in over six years, with proponents stressing that it would not reduce take-home pay, as salary indexation is expected to offset the change. According to the authors, the objective is to reduce structural disparities between public and private sector workers, particularly in pensions and benefits, which are currently higher for many state employees due to more favorable contribution arrangements.
The initiative also highlights long-standing imbalances in contribution growth and wage indexation mechanisms within the public sector, which, critics argue, have contributed to widening differences in lifetime earnings and retirement outcomes compared to private sector workers.
