Foundation "Mom has a job" insists on linking maternity leave in the second year to the minimum wage and on a significant increase in child allowances within the framework of Budget 2027. According to the organization, current social payments are completely devalued by inflation, and the state must build a comprehensive structure to support women who return to the labor market, reports Bulgaria ON AIR.
Requests for financial adequacy
The new budget framework being prepared expects an increase in maternity funds in the second year, as well as an increase in incentives for the mother to return to her workplace earlier.
According to representatives of the non-governmental sector, key reforms should be embedded in the long-term framework for next year.
"When we sent a statement on Budget 2026, we actually focused on Budget 2027, because then larger changes are possible. One of our demands was that maternity leave in the second year be tied as a percentage of the minimum wage, but not more than the net minimum wage. This is on the agenda in Budget 2027,", said Vesselina Panayotova from the "Mom Has a Job" Foundation.
She emphasized that the current child benefits of about 25 euros per month are completely inadequate to modern economic realities. The tax relief for working parents, which amounts to just over 300 euros per child per year, also needs to be updated, as its amount has not been changed for years. Of particular interest is the discussed package of tax relief for extracurricular activities.
Inflation is outpacing benefits
Despite the stated will to increase social payments, it remains unclear by what exact percentage they will be indexed. To illustrate the devaluation of money, Panayotova gave an example of students' daily expenses.
"I was surprised near my child's school, where fast food - doner kebabs - is sold. If one used to cost 3.50, now a small one costs 5 euros. You can imagine how many lunches a day they can buy for 25 euros. The adequate amount is different for each parent," she explained.
Comparison with the European model
In most European countries, social systems operate on a completely different principle. In Germany, for example, child benefits for persons up to 18 years of age are many times higher and are paid regardless of the parents' income.
"Our benefit is tied to the family's income, i.e. working parents above the minimum wage can very rarely receive these child benefits. This criterion allows only a certain group of parents to receive these benefits, and they are still not enough for monthly child support", Panayotova is categorical.
Against this background, it is planned to increase the incentive upon the mother's return to work to 75 percent of her income, provided that the child is not admitted to a municipal nursery or kindergarten. However, according to experts, financial incentives alone do not solve the problem completely, and it is necessary to build a comprehensive system of support and flexibility that would facilitate the integration of women back into the professional environment.