Statutory minimum wages
The legislation of all countries in the region makes provision for a national minimum wage. The rates of minimum wages are regularly adjusted to reflect developments in labour markets. For a small proportion of the workforce that is low skilled or qualified, the minimum wage has a direct impact, particularly in services, but also constitutes an important benchmark for earnings expectations.
Minimum wages as of 1st January 2008 were highest in Slovenia at €539 a month.
In Croatia, the Czech Republic and Poland minimum monthly gross wages reach €300–€330.
In the Baltic states, Hungary and Slovakia they are in the range of €200–€270.
For Bulgaria and Romania minimum wages are less than €150.
Russia and Ukraine have the lowest minimum monthly wages at €60.
Statutory minimum gross monthly wages, CEE countries on January 1st 2008
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| Country | Local currency | Euro | US dollar |
| Bulgaria | 220 | 112 | 165 |
| Croatia | 2 441 | 330 | 485 |
| Czech Republic | 8 000 | 301 | 441 |
| Estonia | 4 350 | 278 | 409 |
| Hungary | 69 000 | 271 | 400 |
| Latvia | 160 | 228 | 335 |
| Lithuania | 700 | 203 | 296 |
| Poland | 1 126 | 312 | 456 |
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Romania
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500 | 138 | 203 |
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Russia
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2 300 | 64 | 94 |
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Slovakia
|
8 100 | 240 | 353 |
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Slovenia
|
539 | 539 | 792 |
|
Ukraine
|
515 | 68 | 100 |
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| Source: CE Research | |||
The ratio of minimum to average wages is highest in Bulgaria at around 50% of the previous year’s level. For Central European and Baltic countries the proportion is in the range of 38–43%. Minimum wages are one third of average in Romania and Ukraine. In Russia minimum wages are 10% of the average, which reflects the different role played by the minimum wage in the economy.
