BBarley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is important cereal crops grown worldwide and is highly susceptible to salinity stress during early developmental stages. This study aimed to investigate the effects of salinity stress on four barley cultivars commonly grown in Turkey (Aydanhanım, Baronesse) and Bulgaria (Zemela, Bojin) at critical stages of germination and seedling growth. The experiment was conducted using a randomized block design with four replications and salt treatments (NaCI) were applied as a solution. Two different concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) were used: 0 (Control),100, and 200 mM. Germination, seedling characteristics, and macroelements content (P, K, Mg, Na, and Ca) were assessed. Salinity stress significantly reduced key growth parameters such as root length, shoot length, plant height (root+shoot), fresh weight, dry weight, germination capacity (GC), initial vigor (IV), and germination index (GI). Genotypic differences were observed among the cultivars for all evaluated features. As salinity stress increased, the contents of P, K, Mg, and Ca decreased in all cultivars, while Na content increased. Aydanhanım and Baronesse were the least affected by increasing salt doses (100, 200 mM), whereas Zemela and Bojin were the most affected. At the largest salinity level (200 mM NaCl), the germination capacity of Zemela and Bojin was significantly reduced, while Aydanhanım and Baronesse showed improved germination capacity compared to the control and 100 mM salt dose treatments.