The leader of “We continue the change” Assen Vassilev made a series of criticisms of the draft state budget for 2026, questioning the planned increase in the costs of maintaining a number of state institutions and calling for greater transparency in the distribution of public funds.
In a post on social networks, Vassilev commented that instead of focusing on the increase in the minimum pension, public attention should be directed to the reasons for the planned budget deficit. According to him, one of the main issues is the increase in funds that will be spent through decrees of the Council of Ministers.
According to him, the draft provides for 1.5 billion euros for expenditures through decrees of the Council of Ministers - about 370 million euros more than in 2025. Vassilev notes that, unlike the budgets for the period 2022-2024, the draft budget lacks a breakdown of these funds, which, according to him, limits transparency and provides the government with the opportunity to distribute the funds without prior approval from the National Assembly.
The PP leader also raises questions about the 32% increase in funds for current repairs and maintenance, as well as the 47% increase in the costs of maintaining the Ministry of Defense. According to him, it is necessary for the public to receive an explanation of the need for these increases, emphasizing that these are not funds for salaries or the acquisition of new military equipment.
In his publication, Vassilev also draws attention to the significant increase in the maintenance of the State Fund "Agriculture" and the State Reserve, as well as the 58% growth in the budget for the maintenance of the Council of Ministers. At the same time, he notes that the budget of the presidential institution has been reduced by 30% compared to the previous year.
According to Assen Vassilev, all the planned increases probably have their arguments, but they should be presented publicly. He called on the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance to explain the priorities in budget policy and to argue the choice between increasing the cost of state administration and limiting the budget deficit.
At the end of the publication, Vassilev announces that he is about to present the second part of his analysis under the title “Budget 2026: Item by Item“, dedicated to the individual expenditure items in the draft budget.