Prime Minister Radev: Budget 2027 Expected to Reduce Deficit and Borrowing

Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Bulgaria will express reservations to the European Union's 21st package of sanctions against Russia if they affect Bulgaria's national interest. He made the statement during Friday's parliamentary question time on July 3. Radev stressed that the reservations already expressed had produced results, pointing to the visit to Bulgaria by representatives of Litasco just a few days ago.

• Rumen Radev: Bulgaria Will Express Reservations Regarding the 21st Package of Sanctions Against Russia

Rumen Radev described as a success the lifting of restrictions on the Burgas refinery's purchases of oil from companies registered in Switzerland.

Rumen Radev, Prime Minister: "Whether Bulgaria's reservations regarding the 21st sanctions package will help us avoid arbitration, I cannot guarantee. If we continue to operate under this sanctions regime, imposed also by Litasco, the refinery is threatened with shutdown. I will do everything possible to ensure that this arbitration is avoided."

Yordan Ivanov, MP, Democratic Bulgaria Parliamentary Group: "Does this mean you will block the European sanctions package?"

Rumen Radev, Prime Minister: "Whether I am prepared to enter reservations to the 21st sanctions package? It is not a question of being prepared. I will do it. Plain and simple, because I am protecting and defending Bulgaria's national interest."

“Vazrazhdane” raised the issue of the agreement with Ukraine.

Kostadin Kostadinov, Leader of Vazrazhdane: "Will you cancel this agreement with Ukraine, or will you leave it in force?"

Rumen Radev, Prime Minister: "No, we will not cancel this agreement. Agreements must be honoured."

The Prime Minister also shared details of his meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Rumen Radev, Prime Minister: "He did indeed once again propose purchasing the reactors from the Belene Nuclear Power Plant. I proposed something different: 'Let us, together with you, using European funds, because Europe is ready to help, build the Belene Nuclear Power Plant with these reactors and supply you with electricity through Romania.'"

On the subject of Bulgaria's foreign policy orientation:

Radoslava Ribarski, MP, Continue the Change Parliamentary Group: "Bulgaria is, to put it mildly, losing the trust of its Euro-Atlantic partners."

Rumen Radev, Prime Minister: "Is there any wavering among our allies as a result of my actions? No. I have excellent relations with all European and NATO member states."

The Prime Minister also responded to criticism regarding the budget deficit.

Temenuzhka Petkova, MP, GERB-UDF Parliamentary Group: "A deficit of 5.7% of GDP – a budget with such a deficit is a serious violation of the Public Finance Act and could be challenged before the Constitutional Court."

Rumen Radev, Prime Minister: "The real serious violation of our responsibility to the Bulgarian people and to Bulgaria's future was the entire budget policy pursued over the past few years that brought us to this point."

Radev pledged that, with Budget 2027, the government would achieve a significant reduction in the deficit and, where possible, in borrowing.