Eastern and Central European trade unions supported the strike of the teachers in Bulgaria, Martin Romer, European Trade Union Committee for Education secretary general said.

Romer made his statement during an international seminar in Bulgaria’s coastal resort of Pomorie, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported.

Bulgaria’s teachers demand a 100 per cent increase of their salaries starting October 1 2007, while the Cabinet offers them up to 52 per cent gradual increase by July 2008.

The teachers started protesting on September 15 2007, the beginning of the school year in the country. Until now they held auto rallies, prayers for the education in the country and a day of silence in class. Teachers threatened with an effective strike starting September 24 2007.

According to preliminary data of the teachers’ union in Bulgaria, only 15 per cent of the schools in the country would not take part in the strike on September 24, BNR said.