Bulgaria Welfare Reforms Enforced

Unemployed in Bulgaria, living on welfare, will be required to put in 14 days of community work a month. Photo by BGNES

All unemployed in Bulgaria will be entitled to receiving welfare only if they have done 14 days of community service a month, the Bulgarian Social Ministry announced.

The changes in Bulgaria's welfare distribution were enforced Saturday.

According to the reforms in the Bulgarian welfare system, unemployed citizens will have to put up 4 hours a day of community service.

There are sanctions for those who refuse to do community work in exchange for welfare – welfare payments will be cut out for two months on first notice and for two years if the unemployed refuses to do community work on second notice.

The welfare changes are part of the 60 anti-crisis measures of the GERB ruling party government and reforms are aimed at restricting the thriving of the gray economy in Bulgaria.

Till now, unemployed in Bulgaria had to put in 5 eight-hour work days of community service per month.

Community service is obligatory for Bulgaria's unemployed active population that is on welfare. It is controlled by the municipal administration and includes providing social and ecological services as well as public hygiene services.

Unemployed parents or adoptive parents of a child under 3-years-old, who is in their care, are exempt from doing community work. Lone parents, women in advanced pregnancy (after the 3rd month), disabled people or individuals who take care of a disabled person are also free from doing community service.