Government sends 2026 state budget draft to Parliament

The Bulgarian government has approved the 2026 State Budget and is submitting it to Parliament for consideration.

Finance Minister Galab Donev said he expects an extensive debate, including consultations with the country's social partners. He also explained why maintenance and operating expenditures are set to increase by EUR 1.34 billion. Of that amount, EUR 254 million is financed through European funds, while EUR 779 million comes from the national budget. The deficit is projected at 5.7% of GDP in 2026, 3.8% in 2027 and 3.0% in 2028.

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According to the Prime Minister, part of these funds has already been spent by the caretaker government on initiatives including hosting the Giro d'Italia cycling race in Bulgaria, support for agricultural producers affected by the war in Iran, fuel compensation schemes, and other measures, Bulgarian National Radio reported.

Responding to criticism from the opposition, particularly "We Continue the Change" leader and former Finance Minister Assen Vassilev, Donev remarked:

"Preparing a line-by-line Facebook series is not the same as preparing a line-by-line state budget."

Vassilev has been criticizing the proposed spending through his Facebook series titled "Budget 2026: Line by Line."

Edited by Miglena Vasileva