MPs adopted the state budget

After more than 11 hours of debates and over three hours of voting, the MPs have finally approved the state budget law.

The budget includes record revenues of over 91 billion BGN and record expenditures of nearly 97 billion BGN. The budget was supported by 145 members of parliament.

The state budget is expected to result in a deficit of 6.4 billion BGN, or 3% of GDP. This year, the budget was adopted under a new procedure: all proposals were read out on Wednesday evening, and on Thursday, each one was discussed in random order.

The budget was defended in the chamber by Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova in the presence of nearly the entire Cabinet.

"The increase in expenditures for healthcare and insurance payments for 2025 compared to 2024 is 5.5 billion BGN. This is just one indicator. We have been in government for only two months, and we cannot have generated these expenses of 18 billion BGN. Again, let us acknowledge and say – this is the effect of the last four years," said Petkova.

Most of the proposals between the two readings, with very few exceptions, were rejected during the budget committee. The vote in the Chamber only confirmed this.

Branimir Balachev, GERB-UDF: "We must give credit to our GERB team, represented by Mrs. Petkova, Mr. Ananiev, and Vladislav Goranov, who managed to present this budget, which we are now reviewing at second reading. The budget is as good as possible. It’s not the best, but it is what it is."

This was agreed upon by “There Is Such a People” (TISP), but they made their own proposal, which was verbally supported by "Vazrazhdane."

Toshko Yordanov, TISP: "The demands of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (CITUB), however fair, we all know, cannot be fully met. The reason is the drained budget over the past three years. After the budgets of Assen Vassilev, there is no money in the country. And the budget is such that no one is happy with it. The proposal is to reduce the Constitutional Court budget by 2 million leva, at the expense of increasing salaries in the school and child healthcare sectors."

Petar Petrov, Vazrazhdane: "I disagree with one thing – why only with the Constitutional Court’s expenses? We have 16 million BGN in expenses for the Inspectorate of the Supreme Judicial Council, why not take at least two million from there?"

However, the MRF-New Beginning pointed out that transferring money from one item to another is not an editorial amendment.

Yordan Tsonev, MRF-New Beginning: "If we open this box – this is not just an ordinary law where we can make changes (chaos ensues in the chamber). Don’t open this box, because all kinds of proposals will begin. I can make two or three proposals in every item. It’s not right, please."

As expected, the budget received strong criticism from We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria. They again presented proposals to reduce the debt and increase funding for Sofia.

Assen Vassilev, WCC-DB: "At the first reading, we clearly expressed our opinion on this budget, namely that it increases expenditures more than twice. What is more concerning is that, in one year, it is planned to borrow and increase the state’s net debt more than in the last three years."

Due to the changed procedure, during the debates, each MP presented their proposals without any particular order. Topics ranged from healthcare to energy, from salary increases to road construction.

Martin Dimitrov, WCC-DB: "We from WCC-DB are well-meaning colleagues and will support any idea to join the Eurozone categorically, but we cannot support anti-reformist ideas and such wasteful spending."

The recently joined party "Velichie" expressed regret that they had not been able to participate in the preparation of the budget and stated that they would not support it.

Maria Ilieva, Velichie: "For us, this budget is not oriented towards long-term solutions to Bulgaria’s problems. It is aimed at filling specific deficits and shortages where more funds have been spent. There are no measures to control the spending of funds, no measures to combat corruption."

MECh (Morality, Unity, Honour) also criticised the budget, seeing different schemes for draining funds in it.

Krasimir Manov, MECh: "Minister, stop making excuses with the ministers before you. The last two were from Glavchev's caretaker cabinet. This (Glavchev) is your person from GERB, enough with this chewing gum, it has worn out."

At the end of the session, the Chairman of the Budget Committee in Parliament, Delyan Dobrev, proposed to cancel all amendments adopted during today’s vote.

The budget will enter into force once it is promulgated in the State Gazette.