KNSB labour union said that unless an agreement between the labour organisations and employers was signed within a month, it would organise mass strikes.

Although the agreement negotiations were supposed to be concluded by the end of April, discussions were still going on, Darik Radio reported.

Today KNSB will hold a rally under the slogan Bring Our Hope Back. Over 10 000 people were expected to participate, KNSB said. Workers in coal mines and the energy sector have already expressed their eagerness to begin a strike, unless their requests are fulfilled, Valentin Nikiforov, the head of the KNSB strike committee, said.

The motives behind the rally include the continuous impoverishment of the population, the high electricity prices and the unresolved disputes over the length of service bonuses. The labour unions said that the government was violating the rights of workers by fixing salaries in the real sector and giving insufficient raise of salaries in the budget sphere.

KNSB actions are supported by Confederation of Labour Podkrepa. Podkrepa vice president Dimitar Manolov said that the organisation was not sure whether strikes would be more effective now or in the autumn. He added he would request Labour and Social Policy Minister Emilia Maslarova's resignation.