„We will do everything possible so that by the end of the year Bulgaria has a budget for 2026. This is in the interest of Bulgarian citizens, Bulgarian business and our country. In terms of reputation, it is extremely important that we enter the eurozone with an adopted law on the state budget. I call on everyone to show reason – to be a little more humble“, he announced in an interview for the show „120 minutes“ Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova.
Petkova confirmed that the draft Budget 2026 will not be withdrawn, and the framework will be revised after the planned meeting on Tuesday between the government, business and unions.
According to the Finance Minister, the political tension around the budget aims to lead to early elections and undermine the process of introducing the euro.
She described the financial policy of recent years as “vicious“, and some of the decisions of former Minister Assen Vassilev - as harmful to the sustainability of public finances.
The Minister explained that the proposal to increase the social security contribution by 1 percentage point, instead of 2 percentage points, will be reconsidered, but a final decision will be made after analyzing the proposals of the social partners. She specified that no increase in VAT is being discussed.
The minister described the issue of automatic salary increases in the public sector as sensitive, noting that a change could hardly be made within the framework of this budget.
Petkova also commented on the distribution of bonuses in various state institutions. She pointed out that they are possible only on a regulatory basis, but did not rule out the need for a broader debate on regulatory changes. Regarding the vacant positions in the administration, the minister stated that a serious analysis is needed, because in some structures there is a lack of staff, and in others optimization is possible.
Regarding the proposal for a new state guarantee of up to 2 billion leva for the Bulgarian Development Bank, related to the possible acquisition of assets of “Lukoil“, Petkova specified that this is only an opportunity that will be used only if necessary to protect energy security.