I would like to see the final version of the draft budget for next year, but as of today we have particularly positive news about our priorities in this government. This was said in "Face to Face" on bTV by the deputy chairman of the BSP and chairman of the BSP group in the Sofia Municipal Council Ivan Takov, quoted by novini.bg. He commented on the main parameters of Budget 2026 announced earlier today after a meeting of the Joint Management Council.
I have repeatedly said that our participation in power is for a specific purpose – increasing pensions, people's incomes, maternity benefits in the second year, as well as more investments in municipalities, of course, and our big topic - changing the tax system in the country. We are not talking about increasing taxes, but about taxing excess profits and increasing the corporate tax of companies. This will provide funds for social spending such as the non-taxable minimum. It is clear to us that this will not be included in this budget, but it was time to open a conversation on the topic. This makes sense of the BSP's participation in the joint management, said Takov.
In response to a question, he also commented on the declaration of the BSP district council in the capital's "Mladost" district, which calls for the resignation of the party leadership headed by Atanas Zafirov and for convening a congress. The main emphasis in the position is dissatisfaction with "submissive, pitiful and spineless behavior towards Borisov and Peevski". The BSP's behavior regarding the rejection of the euro referendum, the vote for an ombudsman, the changes to the SANS Act, as well as the "humiliating uncomplaining acceptance of the rotation of the Speaker of the National Assembly" was recalled.
Assoc. Prof. Kiselova was part of the list in Sofia, I personally invited her to participate. If there is anyone affected, it is me. But I have talked to her and she agreed that there are more important things than the Speaker's position in parliament, which is by no means unimportant. It is normal that our participation in power with two right-wing parties is not at all easy. But we have an extremely great responsibility for what is happening next year. For the first time in 4 years, we will have a normal budget procedure and for the first time we will have the opportunity to implement our policies. This makes sense of the BSP's participation in this government, the socialist pointed out.
We do not view this as a sacrifice. Including in our conversation with Mrs. Kiselova, she does not feel like a victim. For us, politics is not a game. Especially at the moment it is an extremely complex and responsible undertaking. I will not comment on what happened in the last 2-3 weeks, this is about responsibility, about fulfilling the commitments we have made to our voters. Mrs. Kiselova was a wonderful chairwoman and I am sure that if this government has a long life, we will again have our proposal. But this is not an end in itself, we have much more important things to solve, Ivan Takov emphasized.
Asked about the role of the DPS-New Beginning in power, he noted that the party led by Delyan Peevski supports the government without taking part in it.
Commenting on the angry statement of the GERB leader Boyko Borisov, in which he was outraged that there are ministries that are given on concession, the deputy chairman of the BSP said: "I can guarantee that there are no ministries and ministers on concession with us. Our ministers are doing a good enough job. I hope that this was said figuratively by the chairman of GERB, if not - to say what he means. We have asked, but so far we have no answer".