Automatic 12% Pay Hike for Bulgaria’s Interior and Defense Staff Next Year

In 2026, salaries in Bulgaria’s Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense will see an automatic increase of 12%, reflecting a legal mechanism that ties pay in these sectors to the country’s average salary. According to the National Statistical Institute, the average salary for the second quarter of 2025 rose by 12% compared to the same period in 2024, from 2,296 leva (about 1,172 euros) to 2,572 leva (approximately 1,313 euros). This adjustment is expected to push personnel costs in these two ministries to a combined total of 7 billion leva (around 3.57 billion euros).

The Ministry of Interior’s personnel budget will rise by 435.5 million leva (about 222 million euros), reaching 4.2 billion leva (around 2.14 billion euros), while the army will receive 2.8 billion leva for personnel. This increase surpasses the projected 5% salary growth planned for most other public sector employees. Other sectors with specialized pay formulas are also seeing larger raises: higher education salaries are expected to climb by about 15%, and secondary education continues its goal of ensuring teacher pay reaches 125% of the national average.

Despite these record personnel expenses, capital expenditures for the security sector remain limited. The Ministry of Interior has only 28 million euros (around 56 million leva) allocated for investments, while the Ministry of Defense’s investment budget is comparatively higher, largely due to ongoing NATO commitments. Overall, the state’s personnel costs are projected to exceed 13.1 billion euros (over 26 billion leva) in 2026, setting a new record in the country’s budget planning.