Government Withdraws Draft Budget

The leader of GERB, Boyko Borissov, announced on November 27 that the government is withdrawing the draft budget following last night’s protest. The Joint Governance Council convened and confirmed the decision to withdraw the financial plan. Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said the government would seek to renew dialogue with employers and trade unions. The opposition welcomed the move, saying the authorities had finally listened to the public.

Speaking first in the sidelines of Parliament this morning, Atanas Atanasov, leader of 'Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria' (DSB), urged the governing parties and their supporters to reconsider the contentious elements of next year’s budget.

Atanas Atanasov ('Democratic Bulgaria') said: “We propose two steps. First, today the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister should withdraw this budget, return it, revise it, and politely ask the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation to join the discussion so all figures can be reviewed and all funds set aside for their ‘black box accounts’ can be cut. That is one. Second, I want to remind you that in 2013, when Delyan Peevski was elected head of the State Agency for National Security, it provoked public outrage. Now, amid today’s tensions, they are quietly trying to push through Denyo Denev as chair of the same agency. They must halt this process and withdraw (the nomination of) this gentleman. These two steps, in our view, would help calm the situation in the country.”

Around an hour later, GERB leader Boyko Borissov announced that the budget would indeed be withdrawn, reiterating that he had repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the draft.

Boyko Borissov, (GERB–UDF), stated: “I called a meeting of the governing council this morning, brought in the supporting parties, the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister as the mandate-holders, and told them to withdraw this budget—or find a legal mechanism to do so, since it has passed first reading. Until dialogue with the tripartite council is restored, until everyone sits down and agrees on how the country will be governed in the years ahead, we will work with the existing budget. Unlike others, even if a single person protests, I try to listen. Some of the demands are logical and reasonable. And for decades I have always worked in dialogue with the tripartite council."

The announcement triggered strong reactions from the opposition.

Asen Vasilev (We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria) said: “After they refused to hear the opposition, refused to hear the experts, and would not hear the business community, we are pleased that they have finally heard Bulgarian citizens and that this damaging budget will be withdrawn and rewritten.”

Ivaylo Mirchev (WCC–DB) added: “All constraints in this form of extortion—social security contributions, dividend tax—must be removed.”

Tsoncho Ganev ('Vazrazhdane') commented: “What we expect them to withdraw in the budget is the tax increases. From a single protest by a united opposition, the government has started back-pedalling and is clearly rattled. The opposition is now acting in sync—we are united. Let’s hope WCC and DB don’t backtrack, that they haven’t struck a deal with GERB, and that they don’t "reef the sails".

In a formal statement to the media in Parliament, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said the heightened social tension and last night’s protest were a clear signal that the national and public interest must take precedence over narrow political considerations.

Rosen Zhelyazkov, Prime Minister. “In the past month, on the eve of Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone, we need above all stability and confidence. This process has long-term implications, not merely short-term effects for 2026. We must therefore make it transparent, irreversible, and provide reassurance that the country is being governed competently.”

Rosen Zhelyazkov, Prime Minister: "“My appeal—especially to those members of the opposition for whom Europe is not just a value but a conscious political direction—is to show reason. We will come back to the negotiating table and try again to restore dialogue with the trade unions and employers, and to agree macroeconomic parameters for a budget that is acceptable to a broad part of the business community and society.”

He stressed that he and his colleagues are fully aware of the complexities of governing with a diverse majority, and that rising social pressure demands clear, specific answers on how social stability will be maintained.

“We have enough time in December to meet expectations or explain the issues identified as flaws in the draft budget, so that we ultimately produce a balanced budget that reflects the political spectrum of the governing coalition,” Zhelyazkov said.

All parties, he added, must be ready to compromise, because society is a contract—and anything other than coalition governance is impossible going forward.