“The excessive deficit procedure against Bulgaria is an eloquent assessment of all previous administrations, which sought to maintain a 3% deficit, but with different gymnastics with the budget.“ This was stated by Prime Minister Rumen Radev before the EU Summit – Western Balkans in Montenegro.
"Namely systematic decapitalization of state-owned companies, draining liquidity from businesses, delaying VAT payments, pre-seizure of taxes withheld for the previous year, which are transferred to the current one", Radev said.
At the same time, with large expenditures on dubious public procurements with inflated prices, he added.
„I hope that the parties in parliament will show maturity, so that with joint efforts we can restore public finances“, the prime minister said.
According to him, the large discrepancy in the deficit data is because in the last few years there has been a postponement of payments that are transferred to the next year.
„These are the so-called hidden costs that pump up the hidden deficit“, explained Rumen Radev.
„Invoices for activities carried out in past years that have not been paid for are now emerging. This is over 2.2 billion euros. These costs have yet to be covered – this is precisely the hidden deficit“, added the Prime Minister.
The Extradition of Stoyan Mavrodiev
Rumen Radev spoke last night with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić. He assured him that the Serbian state will responsibly treat the requested request for the extradition of Stoyan Mavrodiev.
EU Enlargement and the Integration of the Western Balkans
„Bulgaria's position is very clear – "We continue to defend the thesis that EU enlargement should be based on the principle of our own merits. This means deep reforms in the judiciary, the rule of law, human rights, and building good neighborly relations," Radev said.
“Our position is that we should not transfer inherited political and historical problems to the European family. We welcome the progress made by Montenegro and highly appreciate the efforts made by Albania to advance towards EU membership," the Prime Minister added.
He wished other countries to make the same efforts in order to achieve a similar result.