Adopting the national budget is one of the key steps Bulgaria must take to ensure the sustainability of its democratic progress and the stability of the state, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said during the conference “Strengthening Freedom”, organised by the Centre for the Study of Democracy on November 11.
The Prime Minister announced that the government would persuade Parliament to approve the country’s first-ever budget denominated in euros.
“On 1 January, Bulgaria will take a decisive step towards completing its European integration — a steadfast but extremely difficult path we have followed since 1989,” Zhelyazkov emphasised.
He noted that the government’s mission is not only to preserve its own resilience, but also to safeguard the stability of democratic trends that underpin public trust in institutions.
Zhelyazkov also highlighted Bulgaria’s strategic role as a NATO member on the Alliance’s Eastern flank — a country, he said, that bears both the responsibility and the opportunity to turn the Black Sea from a dividing line into a zone of security and cooperation among democracies.
He stressed that Europe must view the protection of democracy as a form of defence policy — one founded not only on values, but also on technological capacity and institutional strength.
The Prime Minister pointed out that education and demography are the long-term investments that will determine Bulgaria's future sustainability.
"The next generation will defend democracy not only with ideas, but also with technological competence," Zhelyazkov said, adding that the development of digital and civic skills is a priority for the state.
Zhelyazkov concluded by thanking the Centre for the Study of Democracy for its consistent support of democratic reform in Bulgaria and the wider region, underlining that strong partnerships between institutions, academia, and civil society are essential to strengthening freedom and democratic values.
photos by Dessislava Kulelieva, BNT
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