The National Assembly adopted the Law on the State Social Security Budget for next year on first reading. 122 deputies voted "for", 89 voted "against" and no "abstentions". The main criticisms of the opposition were directed at the lack of reforms. The PP-DB pointed out that the law passed the budget committee for first reading, but not the social committee, BNT specified.
Borislav Gutsanov, Minister of Labor and Social Policy: "I ask you, when we comment in the hall specifically on this budget, the so-called small budget, to realize that it affects every single person in the country, because everyone from their first working day to their last should know what their pension will be, they should know their security, mothers should know what they will receive, because this is part of dealing with the demographic crisis."
The bill for next year is a record and amounts to 15.26 billion euros. 6.83 billion of them are provided as a transfer from the state budget, and 8.43 billion represent the revenues from social security contributions.
Georgi Hrisimirov, "Vazrazhdane": "All your proposals between version one and two are such that you are waiting for the storm to pass and to lower yourself."
Elisaveta Belobradova, PP-DB: "I don't know why we are even here, what we are discussing. This is the budget of a government that has completely lost legitimacy. Do you remember that there was only one possible budget, it included a 10% increase in social security contributions, zero reforms, it was with one goal - to fill Delyan Peevski's black box. Today we have the second only possible budget, in which measures were taken in a panic."
In essence, the texts in the budget were commented on in detail by the former Minister of Social Affairs Hasan Ademov.
Hasan Ademov, APS: "Today, the alternative version of the only budget of the Social Welfare Service was presented. These 15.25 billion are the largest investor in the economy of Bulgaria. The test that the previous budget was torn apart is called justice, because it brought Bulgarian citizens to the squares. The impression is created that the new crossroads of the ruling party has a price and it has been transferred to the deficit. I will not tire of repeating that the strategic document, the roadmap of the pension system, is very important and should have been in the National Assembly by November 14."
In response, the Minister of Social Affairs Borislav Gutsanov replied that the roadmap is ready and there will be reforms. He did not say, however, when it would be officially presented and submitted to parliament.