Parliament adopted at first reading changes to the Law on the State Public Insurance Budget, which provide for an Easter supplement of BGN 75 for over 500,000 pensioners. The bill submitted by GERB-SDS and DPS was supported by 145 people's representatives, two from “We continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria“ were “against“ and 26 abstained, again from PP-DB.
It states that funds in the amount of BGN 40 million will be provided, necessary for a one-time payment of an additional sum of BGN 75 to pensioners whose pension or the sum of pensions, together with the supplements and compensations to them for the month of April 2024, is up to and including BGN 526. The funds will be at the expense of the state social security budget for 2024. In this way, in connection with the upcoming Easter holidays, about 534,000 pensioners whose incomes are below the poverty line will be supported.
Proposed by “Revival“ changes in the Law on the State Public Insurance Budget for 2024, that the one-time Easter supplement be BGN 100 for all pensioners, were rejected.
„These supplements cannot be supported, because what we want is a permanent increase in pensions”, said Iskren Arabadjiev from PP-DB during the debates. He said that he cannot explain to those 1.5 million Bulgarian citizens who receive a pension above the poverty line, why they will not receive it.
„You cannot take stock of how people live in small settlements, said Iliana Zhekova from GERB-SDS. According to her, life in Sofia is completely different than in smaller towns and villages.
Georgi Georgiev from “Vazrazhdane“ pointed out that they offered support of BGN 100 for all pensioners because they believe that no one can be discriminated against in this country, especially Bulgarian pensioners.
„It is clear that it is a gesture, not a solution to the problem”, believes Toshko Yordanov from “There is such a people”. According to him, the state can only do this without any major damage.
There will be no Easter supplements for pensioners, this was the decision of the current and currently resigned government and, until recently, the majority forming the already dismantled “slobka”, said Georgi Gyokov “BSP for Bulgaria”. According to him, the outgoing prime minister, the outgoing finance minister and the outgoing minister of labor and social policy have declared themselves for a permanent increase in incomes, instead of one-time supplements. They announced that from the middle of the year pensions will be increased by 11%, added Gyokov and specified that this increase is a consequence of the Bulgarian legislation and it was established before the current administration. He said that a third of Bulgarians fear that their pension is not enough to cover their expenses. “Such a gesture is imperative,”, the deputy believes.
„It is not about pre-election populism, but about a conscious responsibility towards the elderly who receive a pension below the poverty line,’ said Sevim Ali (DPS). He clarified that the possibilities of the budget are such at the moment and called for support for the bill.