School year in Bulgaria can not be ruined because the minister says when it is over,” Education Minister Daniel Vulchev said.

Vulchev’s statement was in a response to teachers syndicate’s threats to ruin the beginning of the school year if they do not receive higher salaries, mediapool.bg said.

Negotiations between the minister and the syndicates will continue on September 12 2007.

After September 15 the Education Ministry representatives would discuss the possible raise in the monthly wages with the teachers themselves, said Vulchev.

“Until now, we speak only with the syndicates, now we want to hear the teachers and to convince them, or at least try to let them hear what we are offering,” Vulchev told Bulgarian National Radio.

Vulchev admitted that it was unsure whether there would be enough money to raise the teachers’ salaries by 2008 and 2009, as promised by Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev.

Teachers’ syndicates said that they will organize a protesting rally in Sofia on September 15. More protests and a strike will follow, they said.