Bulgaria’s gross minimum wage will rise to €660 from 1 January 2027 under a decree published in the Official Gazette (€3.98 hourly), Novinite reported. Versus today’s €620.20, that is a €39.80 (+6.4%) increase for a full month of eight-hour, five-day work.

The Council of Ministers adopted the decree on 29 October; it was gazetted on 3 November. About 462,000 workers would benefit. Labour minister Natalia Efremova said the rise exceeds annual inflation of 5.7% and fits the budget while balancing the minimum wage’s social and economic role.

Talks in the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation on 23 October produced no deal: employers backed +6.4%; unions wanted €690. Podkrepa estimated take-home pay at about €512 net and warned minimum-wage Bulgarians would stay last in the EU. The adopted figure is also ~€13 below the new mechanism’s upper bound (~€672.80).

2027 is the first year under Bulgaria’s new formula: a band from last year’s minimum up to a ceiling based on four equal indicators (purchasing power, wage distribution, wage-growth pace, long-term productivity). Partners must negotiate by 15 May; the government sets the figure by 15 August and can decide if there is no consensus.

In Romania the gross minimum is RON 4,325 since 1 July 2026 (~€825 equivalent; 20th of 22 EU states with a statutory floor, BNS says). A RON 200 tax-free allowance ends on 31 December. The Labour Ministry floated three 2027 scenarios — RON 4,593, 4,884 or 5,079 gross; minister Florin Manole said 1 January could keep RON 4,325 pending consultations.

BNS proposes RON 4,652 (recovering the early-2026 freeze); IMM Romania wants RON 4,325 held, citing micro-firm costs. Finance minister Alexandru Nazare spoke of balancing purchasing power and competitiveness.

Source: Bulgaria’s minimum wage to reach €660 in 2027: comparison with Romania (Digi24)