Under the changes, minimum wage will increase from EUR 638 net to EUR 667 next year and ultimately to EUR 700 in 2020. The National Assembly passed the changes without holding a debate today.

Moreover, the changes also envisage that bonuses, which are now included in the minimum wage figure, would be excluded as of 1 January 2020.

Initially, the Left wanted the latter provision to step into force already on 1 January 2019, but this was postponed by the coalition by a year.

The changes also include provisions under which minimum wage will be 20% under the minimum living expenses and will not exceed them by more than 40%.

Luka Mesec of the Left told the National Assembly today that these changes were the most important step of the incumbent government.

Only in 2008, the minimum wage was at EUR 450, which was EUR 100 under the poverty threshold, he noted. "Minimum wage will finally rise above the poverty threshold."

He believes that the changes were "a legislative guarantee that nobody who has a job will fall into poverty."

"The government has started showing the people that it will no longer be a maid to the capital but will work for prosperity of everybody," he also said.