It is not true that there is no dialog. We have a dialog every day, Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said in an answer to parliamentary questions on October 12.

Stanishev qualified the teachers' strike as "unpleasant", Focus news agency said.

"Before the start of the strikes we offered a full package of measures, which included a significant increase in salaries," he said. Government made its proposals in the hopes that teachers and unions would decide not to go on strike.
"Government has held and continues with negotiations," he added.

Important was for a constructive compromise to reached, which would be fitting for both side, Stanishev said. And this solution should be found "within reasonable parameters".
Stanishev repeated that a 100 per cent salary increase was not reasonable.

"We realize there are many sectors where salaries are low," he said, adding that the demanded increase would lead to hyperinflation.
"In a hyperinflation, those who'll loose most are those who were protesting," Stanishev said.

"We have achieved a lot in this mandate, but we might not have enough time left," he added.

According to Stanishev, government should guarantee education reforms. Government was responsible for the income of every Bulgarian, he said.

"Government does not intend to pitch teachers against society," he said, specifying that attempts were made to politicise the strike.

Stanishev made comments in reply to questions by independent parliament member Mariya Kapon and leader of Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria Ivan Kostov. Kpaon and Kostov were not satisfied with the replies. According to Kapon, transparent negotiations to solve the problem were not in sight.