Almost all, 40 out of 41, teachers in the Kolio Ficheto professional high school in the coastal city of Varna handed in their letter of resignation, union representative Stoiko Atanasov said.

The main reason for the resignations, pointed out in the letters of resignation, was the offence, the humiliation and the lack of understanding by the Prime Minsiter Sergei Stanishev, Education Minister Daniel Vulchev and Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski, Focus news agency reported.

All 300 protesting teachers in the Dupnitsa municipality planned to sign a resignation declaration, Focus said.

The declaration reads: “Due to the irresponsible attitude towards the education problems by the Cabinet of the Republic of Bulgaria and the protraction of the negotiations on satisfaction of the teachers’ demands, I declare that I am ready to hand in my letter of resignation.”

The teachers in Bulgaria started an effective strike on September 24 2007, demanding 100 per cent salary increases by July 2008. The Cabinet said that such an increase would damage Bulgaria’s economic stability and offered smaller increase.