This is not a request for funds, but information in connection with a preliminary analysis prepared by a company selected during the Denkov government. The letter has been deposited with the Ministry of Finance. Asen Vassilev knows that many similar documents are received, but they are subjected to strict analysis. The amounts have not been accepted, the budget procedure for 2026 has not even begun. Thus, Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova commented on the claims of Asen Vassilev that her department has received a documentary request for financing the new children's hospital in Sofia in the amount of 1 billion. leva.
According to her, the analysis will be prepared by the end of the 2026 budget procedure.
"I think it is more than clear that a resource of the order of 1 billion leva cannot be secured. The children's hospital in Burgas is currently being built, so we have the opportunity to compare what is obtained in terms of prices compared to the proposed ones. Vassilev claims that the construction of the hospital costs 100 million, and in fact they were a fact when the company was established in July 2020. This represents initial capital. During the "Denkov" cabinet, an expert assessment was prepared by a company and the EIB, with which a technical assistance contract was concluded. The construction of the children's hospital is a high priority, but everything must be within the budget and be transparent," Petkova explained.
"This is a strategic goal that our country has managed to achieve. A lot of work and effort has been put in, the most important step was taken in July 2020, when Borisov and Goranov did everything necessary to enter the waiting room of the eurozone. Without this action, the current achievement would not have been possible. Entering the eurozone has been a top priority in all of Boyko Borisov's governments. I am very glad that we managed to realize this goal again in a government with a GERB mandate. In order to request the preparation of a convergence report, we first had to meet certain criteria. No one from Europe has made compromises with us. Our government is making great efforts so that we can get out of the "gray" list, we will fulfill all commitments in this direction. Bulgaria has honestly and honorably fulfilled all the criteria and will take its place in the eurozone with dignity from January 1, 2026," commented the Minister of Finance.
According to her, the administration is ready for the introduction of the euro. "There is a coordination council at the Ministry of Finance, it includes various institutions. "By September 30, the administration must adapt its systems to the euro," explained Petkova. And she specified that there is no need to rush the process of converting funds from leva to euro.