Tensions in Parliament Over the 2026 State Budget

Tensions rose in the corridors of Parliament over the 2026 state budget. The opposition accused the ruling coalition of deliberately delaying the presentation of the draft financial framework due to internal disagreements and the growing issue of national debt. GERB leader Boyko Borissov, however, assured that all deadlines would be met.

According to the timetable approved by the Council of Ministers, the draft budget should have been presented and discussed by the Tripartite Council as early as 10 October, adopted by the government on 15 October and entered for discussion in parliament by the end of the month. The gap in deadlines has grated ruling and opposition parties.

According to the schedule approved by the Council of Ministers, the draft budget was to be discussed by the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation on 10 October, adopted by the government on 15 October, and submitted to Parliament by the end of the month. The delay has sparked a fresh round of confrontation between the government and the opposition.

Representatives of 'We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria' (WCC–DB) criticised the ruling majority for underestimating the complexity of the process and falling behind schedule.

Assen Vassilev, chair of 'We Continue the Change':

“If they are only now starting to piece together the macro framework of the budget and make the tough political decisions, this procedure will almost certainly be delayed. This is not an accounting exercise. We need to see precisely what is written in the budget in order to make meaningful proposals. The fact that the parameters of the budget are only now being discussed within the governing coalition is deeply concerning.”

The nationalist party 'Vazrazhdane' accused the government of deliberately stalling the budget process because it cannot resolve the issue of rising public debt, which they claim will reach 18.9 billion BGN by the end of the year.

Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of Vazrazhdane:

“The major problem remains the budget, because we still have no draft document — a precedent in the past 35 years. Never before has a Council of Ministers failed to meet its own timetable, which set a 15 October deadline.”

According to MECH (Morality, Unity, Honour), the budget has been turned into a tool to guarantee support to the cabinet.

Radostin Vassilev, leader of MECH:

“I said that the glue holding this government together would be the budget. Last Thursday I told you that Boyko Borissov, the political showman, would return to Parliament, say something completely different, and then sit down to draft a budget with Delyan Peevski’s allies from the MRF—a new beginning, as he calls it.”

According to Velichie MP Krasimira Katincharova, the delay in submitting the budget is a clear sign of divisions within the governing majority:

“The mere fact that the budget has not yet been submitted shows that the ruling ‘mafia' party is not even sure whether it wants Bulgaria to join the eurozone or not.”

GERB leader Boyko Borissov insisted that the deadlines for drafting and presenting the budget would be observed and urged politicians not to use the issue for partisan gain:

“From today onwards, after having secured a parliamentary majority for the government and for Rosen Zhelyazkov, without causing any harm, the four parties must now sit down and agree on the budget to ensure we have 121 votes. I don’t know how to put it any more clearly.”

The 2026 budget will be the first in Bulgaria’s history to be drafted in euros.