The national strike committee sent a a proposed agreement for approval to union members in regions and cities.

Proposed were three increases of 20 per cent each, of the average salary as of October 1 2007, January 1 2008 and July 1 2008.

The proposed agreement was announced by the chairperson of the strike committee Valentin Nikiforov, Focus news agency reported on October 19.

Nikiforov said the strike would only be ended if there was a signed agreement and expressed his hope meeting with Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev, Education Minister Daniel Vulchev and Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski would take place during the weekend.

The new proposal comes a few days after ministers and unions had reached an agreement, only to be sent back to negotiations by the teachers a few hours later. Because of this, Stanishev had decided that Vulchev and Oresharski would not attend negotiatons the next day on October 18.

"Until now the strike has been within the Bulgarian law and in accordance with the European charter," Nikiforov said. The rights of children have not been violated as they had been warned, he said.

Nikiforov said that with the current proposal of three times 20 per cent, the average salary for teachers would become 750 leva, and that of non-pedagogical staff 412 leva, while a young teacher would start at 512 leva as of 2008.