The official poverty line in Bulgaria is to be 152 leva starting January 1 2007, Cabinet decided on December 14.

According to the accepted definition the poverty line is used to identify the poorest people in the country. It is to be used as an important factor in determining minimal salaries and social aid.

Representatives of the Labour and Social Policy Ministry, National Statistical Institute and Bulgarian Academy of Sciences worked on calculating the poverty line.

Setting the value took into consideration basic living needs or the consumption levels of Bulgaria's poorest people.

More information came from the annual household budget survey of the National Statistical Institute.

Using the poverty line, Bulgarian officials can come up with a mechanism to deal with the poverty threat and determine the minimal income level.

The poverty line will be re-evaluated once every year. In case inflation that accumulated since the latest review exceeds 10 per cent, re-evaluation will happen more often.