"There are all grounds for protests. These protests will be serious and they are just beginning. You cannot drive the Bulgarian people crazy. If one of your coalition partners twists your hands - propose a reasonable budget, we will vote for it. This budget will cause radicalization and it is no longer political, it will be economic".
This was warned to the Bulgarian National Radio by academician Nikolay Denkov from the PP-DB.
He confirmed that on Tuesday they will block the entrances to the parliament, and the reason is the budget for next year:
"We will hold the protest when the Budget and Finance Committee is there – it is not yet clear whether it is Tuesday or Wednesday. This is the last moment when it can be influenced. Then, in the plenary hall, it is very difficult to change something that has not been fixed in the discussion in the committee".
In the program "Nedelya 150", academician Denkov pointed out their criticism of the budget plan, emphasizing that they have nothing to do with the euro:
"A decision must be made that will be useful for the people who create the goods in this country. What we tried with all parliamentary means was to be able to balance this budget, so that firstly it would be correct. It is currently unfeasible – as is the budget for 2025. Secondly – huge loans are at stake. 60 million leva every day puts Bulgaria in debt according to this plan that has been set. Thirdly – taxes are being increased in a way that they have not been touched since 2008, and such an increase has not been seen since the time of Zhan Videnov. Fourth - there are sectors in which the increase is huge, although they already receive relatively high salaries, while other sectors, including the private sector, are extremely badly hit by this draft budget".
"Huge amounts of money are being poured in – that's why loans are being taken out, that's why taxes are being raised, but this money is being poured in places where it is not clear how it will be spent", he summarized the situation.
According to him, criticism comes from everywhere, but nevertheless, instead of carefully discussing the budget plan, there is a forceful imposition and shortening of the deadlines for submitting proposals. According to him, there is a way to fix the budget, as long as there is a desire.
"This budget, made by the ruling party, will cause radicalization and it is no longer political, it will be economic, because there are many people who will become poor next year because of this budget. Radicalization does not come from us. We respond to what we see on the other side", the PP-DB MP was categorical and expressed his opinion:
"With this budget, the ruling party this time stepped on not one hoe, but many hoe and this will come back to haunt them".
He turned to the ruling party:
"You cannot drive the Bulgarian people crazy. They understand what is happening. Try to take charge of yourselves, whatever you can, to fix it. If any of your coalition partners twist your hands, if you propose a reasonable budget, we will vote for it, but it must be reasonable, balanced, and free of the outrages that are currently being proposed".
According to him, brutality is being acted upon both in the budget issue and in the case of Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev:
"The witnesses who are being used to attack Blago Kotsev, the transfer to the Sofia City Court, the way in which the pre-trial detention measure was extended all these times – they are under the control of Peevski and Borisov. They create a crisis, then pretend to solve it. Second - the institutions must work for what they were elected for, and not receive party orders – that is not the idea of the Municipal Election Commissions. Third – there is nothing to trade, the mayor must be released so that he can do his job, the trial must continue as planned".
He does not expect the accusation to be well-founded. "In the end, Bulgaria will be convicted for this long arrest, without grounds based on false testimony, of Blagomir Kotsev. In the end, this punishment that will be given – this sentence, you, me, the listeners will pay it, because these convictions are paid for with our money", Denkov warned.
It is not we who have become radicalized, the arrest of Kotsev, Barbutov, before that the arrest of Petya Bankova – this is radicalization that comes from those in power at the moment and it will inevitably provoke a reaction, he expressed his opinion and added:
"Radicalization has in no way decreased. With the budget, with this style of governance, in which they act extremely brutally, I am sure that people will become radicalized. On the other hand, any support for the release of Kotsev from arrest, for the conclusion of the case - any support in this regard is welcome from anyone.