The teachers’ unions had not given up their demands of a 100 per cent increase in teachers’ salaries, Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said.

His statement was an answer to a question from journalists if he would negotiate with the unions in case they decrease their demands.

Such a proposal had not been submitted officially to the cabinet, Stanishev said as quoted by Focus news agency.

Stanishev said that he, Education Minister Daniel Vulchev and Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski were ready to discuss any concrete suggestions.

The teachers’ unions demand a 100 per cent increase in salaries by July 2008. The Cabinet offers a 52 per cent gradual increase.

The strike committee said that the strike continues with organised protests and meetings all over the country. A tent camp would be pitched in front of the National Theatre in Sofia at 2pm on October 1 2007, Focus news agency reported.

On October 1, Dobrich teachers would hold a mourning rally in memoriam of Bulgarian education. In Shoumen, 19 out of 22 schools protested. Teachers from the Danube town of Silistra would protest together with their colleagues from the Romanian town of Calarasi, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported.

According to unions, 80 per cent of the teachers in the country went on strike. The Education Ministry claimed it was only 40 per cent.

Bulgarian news agency BTA quoted Vulchev as saying that the strike did not endanger the school year. The Education Ministry only had to be ready to re-arrange the education content, he said.