The budget is „significantly better“ than the last 4–5 budgets, MP Yavor Gechev of „Progressive Bulgaria“ said on „Wake Up“. According to him, the budget combines higher social spending, funds for businesses and investment in infrastructure without increasing taxes.
„The budget is quite socially oriented because pensions will increase. Spending on social services is BGN 240 million higher,“ Gechev said. He added that the increase in social spending does not come at the expense of businesses, and that a significant portion of the funds is directed towards businesses and innovation.
As another key point, the MP highlighted the record budget allocated for the design of roads and facilities. According to him, the budget limits the trend of increasing public debt. Gechev rejected claims that excessively high borrowing ceilings had been set and said that Bulgaria’s debt is among the lowest in the European Union.
Dispute over the presentation at UNWE
His comment came after criticism from GERB-UDF MP Krasimir Valchev. According to Valchev, the Higher Education Act had been violated because criticism of the opposition had turned the meeting into a political rather than an academic event.
Gechev denied that the event had been organised with the aim of persuading students. „UNWE has provided a number of our people, and there is nothing illogical about bringing them all together there,“ he said.
Administration, prices and pension funds
On the subject of the state administration, Gechev said that the number of vacant positions was significantly lower than 12,000. According to him, some of these positions are maintained formally in order to calculate salaries and reduce direct expenditure.
The MP linked a large part of the price increases to rising fuel prices and conflicts in the vicinity of the country. He also commented on pension funds, saying that the official proposal to the European Commission does not envisage redirecting part of the social security contributions from the second to the first pension pillar.
According to him, the possibility of pension funds investing in infrastructure projects, including the tunnel under Shipka, had been discussed. Gechev said that in this way the funds could be directed towards infrastructure and generate additional returns for future pensioners.
Sources: nova.bg