Cabinet said that it was going to keep its decisions unchanged despite growing social pressure for higher wages.

The Council of Ministers press office warned on June 28 that ministers discussed the situation and were ready to use legal measures in case protests exceeded the acceptable levels, mediapool.bg reported.

Strike committees threatened to block major roads but ministers said that protests will be tolerated only if they met norms and regulations.

Interior Minister Roumen Petkov has been asked to provide constant monitoring of the situation and to take action if necessary.

Wages in the public sector will increase by no more than 10 per cent unless organisations themselves find additional financial resources or re-structure their staff.

Cabinet members also examined a report by Health Minister Radoslav Gaidarski on the situation in Pirogov emergency institute. Medics from the institute have been protesting since May in demand for higher wages and better working conditions.

Gaidarski’s report said that Pirogov had accumulated debt but nearly 23 million leva from the state budget were used to cover it.