The highest minimum wage in the EU is in Luxembourg and it is 1.923 euros, while the lowest minimum wage in Bulgaria is 184 dollars, announced “Eurostat”.
The minimum wage in Macedonia since January is 9,590 denars (155 euros), which is 12.4 times less than the highest minimum wage in the EU, and for 29 euros less than the lowest minimum European wage.
EU countries are divided into three groups according to the amount of the minimum wage. In the first group are those where the minimum wage is less than 500 euros and encompasses Bulgaria, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland and Croatia.
The second group, with a salary of 500 to 1,000 euros, includes Slovenia, Spain, Malta, Portugal and Greece.
Germany, Great Britain, France, the Nordic and Benelux countries are in the third group with a minimum wage higher than 1,000 euros. These countries have a better average than the United States, where minimum wage is more than 1,000 euros, i.e. 1,035 euros.
According to the European statistical agency, the largest increase in wages was recorded in Romania, where the minimum wage in January 2008 rose by 95 percent. Bulgaria follows with an increase of 64 percent, followed by Slovakia with 58 and Latvia with 57 percent.
Drop in the minimum wage in comparison to 2008 is observed only in Greece and it is 14 percent. Minimum wage in Ireland remains at the same level, while the minimum wage increased in other EU countries.
