In August 2010, Bulgaria had an unemployment rate of 9.14%, announced Labor Minister Totyu Mladenov.

The Minister pointed out on Sunday that after the Bulgarian unemployment peaked in February 2010 at 10.2%, it has been decreasing slowly but steadily in the last 6 months, with 40 000 Bulgarians starting new jobs in that period. In July Bulgaria's unemployment rate was 9.23%.

Mladenov said 9 000 people will be appointed as personal assistants to people with disabilities as of October 1.

He promised to table a proposal for the increase of the minimum salary in the country from BGN 240 to BGN 270 as of January 1, 2011, to the governments economic development council.

"Our retirement reform must continue because we have no other choice. If we don't do something, we will become criminals with respect to the current and future retirees," he told journalists in Sofia.