Let's not confuse the technology for adopting the budget with its philosophy and the parameters set in it.
This was called for in an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, specifying that according to the rules of the National Assembly, the withdrawal of the budget after the first vote can only be done by a decision of the parliament.
"If the procedure is started from the beginning, this means that we will lose about two months just in procedures. This implies preparing an extension budget to be implemented in 2026. That is, an extension budget to operate during the most complicated, complex period of next year, when the dual circulation of the lev and the euro will take place in January. This is a systemic risk. Therefore, our understanding is that a more optimal budget can be obtained, which can be done with amending reports between the first and second votes, if the Tripartite Council - government, unions and employers - reach an agreement on the general parameters. ... If the consensus is to work with an extension budget for 2025 and it is more acceptable, this is also an option".
Zhelyazkov emphasized:
"If we understand the parameters, whether it will be withdrawn, whether it will be amended with reports, this is the substance. We are currently looking at what is important, around which we need to unite".
If we impose our wishes at the moment, this means less revenue and more spending, he pointed out.
"It is good that we are currently having a conversation with both employers and unions. And this conversation will lead to some consensus. We will see whether this consensus will also satisfy the political ambitions of the opposition".
According to the Prime Minister, we have witnessed the first protests in history against a budget in which there is a significant increase in social payments:
"These are not social protests like in 1996-1997, when the expectations from the budget were for more spending and social protection. Budget 2026 is neither left nor right. ... The protests united quite ununitable groups. There were people protesting against the euro, there were people protesting for more Europe, for more liberalism, there were people protesting for more conservatism, protesting for systemic and others for anti-systemic policies. There are also generational differences - a protest by the young, who are the typical generational outburst against the status quo or against the conservative. Such groups are there because they do not like the government as such".
The ratio of GDP to debt is growing because there is more spending, which is mainly for social payments, he emphasized:
"If there is a consensus in society that the role of the state is to increase redistribution, as is the case in all European countries, we are the country with the lowest rate of redistribution, then the question arises of more social spending, which means more revenue, which is mainly tax revenue. Financiers and economists, as well as employers, before the budget was submitted, in the conversations then suggested considering increasing VAT. We categorically cannot allow this in 2026, because it would be an element that would stimulate inflationary processes. We will hear all proposals that can provide an increase in the revenue side, but I do not think that at the moment society will accept a reduction in the expenditure side of the budget".