Negotiations on October 14, between representatives of teachers' unions, government, Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski, Education Minister Daniel Vulchev and President Georgi Purvanov have not let to an agreement on the teachers' salaries. The teachers are expected to continue their strike on October 15, going into their fourth week.

Unions demanded at least 650 leva salary per October 1, Focus news agency reported.
"That is a psychological border for teachers in Bulgaria," Nikolai Nikolov, spokesperson of the national strike committee, said after the meeting.

Union representatives said that for the first time the ministers had made a realistic offer with a plan to increase teachers' salaries. Despite that, the strike would continue, they said.

Purvanov said the Council of Ministers had proposed three increments of 10 per cent each, per October 2007, May and October 2008, as well as a five per cent differential salary increase.

Purvanov said the two sides had come closer to each other on some of the important issues. He said the questions of teachers' work load and additional classes they had to take, had been overcome.
Education had to become a real national priority. Both unions and parliament agree that education needed to be reformed, Purvanov said.