The MPs rejected the Bill on Amendments and Supplements to the Social Security Code on the first vote, news.bg reports. The MPs voted with 68 votes "For", 2 votes "Against" and 115 votes "Abstained" - from "Progressive Bulgaria". The MP from "We Continue the Change" Venko Sabrutev and a group of MPs submitted the motion. The opposition's proposal is to increase the compensation for mothers who do not use their pregnancy and childbirth leave, as well as for raising a child up to 2 years of age, from 50% to 100%.
During the debates, Dimo Drenchev announced that the parliamentary group of "Vazrazhdane" will support the bill for changes in the Social Security Act of "We continue the change".
The chairman of the parliamentary group of "Progressive Bulgaria" Petar Vitanov explained that the cash benefits for pregnancy, childbirth and raising a child have a replacement nature and are intended to provide income to the mother who cannot work while caring for a child. There is indeed something that can be done for motherhood and it will be done in the 2027 budget, he added.
In his words, 100% compensation is not the fairest, because this would mean that the mother who returns and goes to work would receive exactly as much as the mother who has no other income, and it would not be fair.
Petar Vitanov announced that the government will propose in the 2027 Budget that the compensation for motherhood be increased from 50% to 75%.
The former Minister of Finance and now the leader of the People's Party of Bulgaria, Asen Vassilev, called on the government to reconsider their position, as between the first and second reading of the bill, if they want the compensation to be increased to 99%, but to do so if 100% seems too much to them in power. The goal is to help mothers now, and not wait until the adoption of Budget 2027.
Vitanov responded to the criticism and assured that the government does not aim to reduce and limit maternity benefits. "It is extremely difficult to stand on a foundation that various "fakirs" have worsened the state budget in recent years. Yes, we will improve maternity benefits, but only when possible", emphasized the chairman of the "Progressive Bulgaria" parliamentary group.
Former Prime Minister Acad. Nikolay Denkov called on the government to take matters into its own hands and when they declared that demography and young families are important to them, the only thing they will be judged on is their votes in the National Assembly. "Change your approach and show that you care at least a little about the people who have problems in the country - young families and pensioners who do not live on MP salaries", urged the chairman of the PP parliamentary group.
Slavi Vassilev from "Progressive Bulgaria" attacked the opposition for making TikTok videos with their proposals for changes in CSR, while the real policies of the ruling party would be seen in Budget 2027.
Assen Vassilev reminded the PB MP that the opposition is introducing the maternity measure in a total of four parliaments.
Anton Kutev from PB praised the opposition for thinking about mothers and their benefits and maternity benefits. "You are currently doing a PR campaign that cannot be supported now. We would all support any way to help demographic policy and we will do it, but we simply will not do it now, but in the order in which it should be done", promised Kutev, confirming the words of his party colleague Petar Vitanov that there will be an increase in maternity benefits, but in Budget 2027.
According to the submitters of the bill, the changes included in it will create economic incentives for a faster recovery of the workforce, while at the same time ensuring better social protection for mothers. Increasing the benefit will be an incentive for mothers to enter the labor market more quickly, which will have a positive effect on the economy, by increasing revenues to the budget from contributions on mothers' salaries.
At the same time, this is a measure that would not lead to additional expenses for the budget of the Republic of Bulgaria, and even vice versa, it will lead to the collection of more revenues. This is so according to the PP, since the budget of the Republic of Bulgaria provides for the payment of benefits under Art. 50 and Art. 53 of the CSR, and the adoption in Bulgarian legislation of the idea that upon returning to work, mothers can receive their entire due benefit will actually lead to the fact that mothers will start paying into the budget social security contributions and income taxes that are not actually planned and will increase revenues to the state budget.
On the one hand, the bill, "Continuing the Change" enables mothers to receive their deserved compensation upon returning to work and not using the full amount of leave due to pregnancy and childbirth, as well as for raising a child up to 2 years of age.
On the other hand, this also relieves employers, who will not have to look for a replacement for their main worker for a long time.
On the other hand, despite the benefits for mothers and employers, this will not cost the budget of the Republic of Bulgaria anything, but on the contrary - it will lead to more revenue for the state.