A predominant part of Bulgarians are destitute

A member of a household of four needs an average monthly allowance of BGN 565 to cover basic living expenses such as food, clothing and vacation, according to common Bulgarian standards, Violeta Ivanova from CITUB's Institute for Social Research told BNR.

The Institute's latest survey of the cost of living in 2012 showed that more than 80% of Bulgarians are destitute. About 45% of households in the country make do with up to BGN 290 per member a month. Almost half of their budget is spent on food, mostly meat and bread. Spending on health care and education is often curtailed, said Violeta Ivanova.

The cost of living is far greater in Sofia than in smaller cities. Food prices in the capital climb at a higher rate, while shelter expenses take up a bigger share. On the other hand, the unemployment rate is lower in comparison and salaries are higher.

In 2012, the number of people out of work worldwide grew by 4 million to 197 million. Another 5 million workers are expected to join the ranks of the unemployed this year, taking the total to 202 million, the International Labour Organisation predicted (ILO) in its latest report. The five-year financial crisis has wiped out 28 million jobs.

ILO forecasts a rise of the unemployment rate by 3 million in 2014, with the number reaching 210,6 million by 2017. Young people are especially hard hit by the global trend of increasing unemployment. At present, 73.8 million young people under the age of 24 are out of work.

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