A Row Broke Out during the Sitting of Parliament’s Budget and Finance Committee

Parliament’s Budget and Finance Committee has scheduled an emergency meeting at 12:20 on November 26 to consider, at second reading, the draft budgets of the State Social Security system and the National Health Insurance Fund for 2026.

The committee was convened in the middle of a plenary sitting, prompting disputes among MPs on the committee. As of this hour, the meeting has still not formally begun, with Assen Vassilev of We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria repeatedly stating that he would not allow the committee to proceed in this manner rather than after the end of the plenary sitiing.

Venko Sabrutev of WCC–DB proposed a procedural motion to cancel the emergency meeting, but the proposal was rejected with seven votes in favour and thirteen against. A subsequent request for a re-vote was again rejected — this time with twelve votes against and none in favour.

According to the parliamentary website, the original scheduled time for the Budget Committee meeting had been 14:15.

Yordan Tsonev of “MRF – New Beginning” said the plenary sitting had been suspended until the emergency sitting of the Budget Committee concludes.

Committee chair Delyan Dobrev stated he would not halt the sitting, as doing so could risk violating the country’s laws.

The committee’s second-reading consideration of the 2026 State Budget Bill has been scheduled for tomorrow. The substantive debate ahead of the vote began shortly before 14:00.

photos by BTA