Revenue and Expenditure Law: A New 2026 Budget or an Extended One?

An unexpected development unfolded in the National Assembly after MPs added the revised version of the regular state budget to their agenda on December 17. Under the original plan, Parliament was due to vote only on an extended budget. The session was also marked by heated scenes and physical confrontations in the chamber.

Parliament decided not to proceed with debates on the draft 2026 budgets of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the state.

In addition to proposals submitted earlier in the day by MPs, a further proposal was put forward later by the Speaker of the National Assembly, following consultations of the Parliamentary Council of Speakers held earlier. The proposal stipulated that the first and second items on the agenda should be the revised regular state budget and the revised budget of the National Health Insurance Fund.

The proposal was approved by 124 MPs, leading to a change in the agenda. The third item was designated for the extended-budget bills for the state budget, state social security and the NHIF. The move prompted strong reactions from 'We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria' (WCC–DB).

After a break, MPs returned to the chamber and voted on the first two items — the inclusion of the regular budgets. These were rejected, prompting a response from Dragomir Stoynev of BSP – United Left. He urged MPs not to pass the political crisis on to citizens and the socially vulnerable, calling instead for the revised regular budget of the Council of Ministers to be adopted, with any future government free to update it later.

Assen Vassilev, "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria": "We have witnessed the most insolent vote in this National Assembly. For the fourth time, those in power have tried to push through their thieving budget — and they have just managed to put it on the agenda.”

Ivaylo Mirchev, We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria: "This is about billions that are meant to be spent on an election campaign in order to buy votes. That is the purpose of pushing this budget through — otherwise there would be no source for spending billions. GERB have clearly been subordinated, and the curator of the museum of socialist budgets has told Borissov that GERB should support it.”

Responding on behalf of GERB, Denitsa Sacheva said:
“Today, GERB–UDF and There Is Such a People carried out a kind of political test to show what is really happening in the National Assembly. With sadness, but also with a sense of relief, we wanted to reveal the true face of our colleagues from WCC–DB. The extended budget will be adopted, most likely at two readings today, and we will support it. But we also supported BSP’s proposal, for whom the adoption of a regular budget has been a consistent political priority.

“From 1 January, Bulgarian teachers and doctors will not receive pay rises. Four hundred thousand families will not receive child benefits on time due to a lack of funds. More than 100,000 personal assistants will face payment delays. Some 750,000 people with disabilities are being placed in a situation where they must worry about what will happen to their money, and assurances that payments will be made later are not sufficient.

“Nearly 70 per cent of Bulgaria’s budget consists of wages, social payments and healthcare spending. If anyone is stealing from Bulgaria’s budget, it is Asen Vassilev — he is stealing the peace of mind of Bulgarian citizens.”

Photos by BTA

Speaking for There Is Such a People (TISP), Toshko Yordanov said:
“In the chamber, TISP and GERB will support only the extended budget. After the revision of the withdrawn budget, the new version was supported by both trade unions and employers — in other words, by broad social groups who should benefit from a state budget. That is why we voted in favour of BSP’s proposal — to show once again who does not care about people and how WCC–DB once again staged a theatrical display of outrage.

“The revised budget included mechanisms for a smooth transition to the euro and sufficient financial safeguards to prevent shocks.”

Kostadin Kostadinov of 'Vazrazhdane' said his party would support neither option:
“As a first item, Parliament is considering the very same budget that led to the fall of the government, which is completely absurd — we cannot support it. There must be a new budget, not an extended one. We will not support the extended budget either, because we voted against the current one. There is no way we can back an extended version of this budget.”