Structures of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) and the Confederation of Labour "Podkrepa" in the field of culture, the Union of Bulgarian Artists and other professional organizations are ready for protests that would leave Bulgaria without cultural events (theater, music performances, concerts) for a week. Museums, galleries, libraries and community centers may also close doors. The protest will take place if the budget of the Ministry of Culture for 2023 is cut and if the subsidy for the cultural institutes and the Bulgarian National Radio is not increased, the Chairman of the Culture National Federation at the Confederation of Labour “Podkrepa” Kiril Binev said for the BNR.

Kiril Binev noted that inflation has already eaten into the low minimum wages in the sector, which range from EUR 500 to EUR 600. In Bulgaria’s 2023 draft budget, caretaker Minister of Finance Rositsa Velkova proposes that the budget for culture be cut by another EUR 20 million.