The average wage in Bulgaria is to meet the minimal levels in Greece, Spain and Portugal in 2009, the Economic and Social Council (ESC) said.

Reaching the minimal European levels in the coming two years was going to be one of Bulgaria's economic priorities after EU entry, Darik Radio reported.

ESC said that starting next year the minimal pensions should be calculated based on the minimal salary.

KNSB labour union representative Plamen Dimitrov said that two other goals should be met after January 1 2007.

One of the goals was protecting income from inflation. Another long-term goal was minimising the difference between Bulgaria's average income and the European levels.

In the past five years, income growth stayed behind the GDP growth rate. Yet, poverty figures were going down. For 2005 the level was 14.4 per cent, while the average European figure was 15 per cent, Darik reported.