Deputies are holding a meeting of the Budget Committee to consider the draft state budget for 2025 proposed by the Council of Ministers. This is the first step towards adopting the country's financial framework, which has not yet been finally approved by the National Assembly, reports novini.bg.
The meeting is a key moment in the legislative process, as the approval of the budget is necessary for the normal functioning of the state and the financing of basic public services. After being considered at first reading by the committee, the draft budget will be submitted for discussion and voting in the plenary hall of the parliament.
At the beginning of the session, the majority of MPs decided to remove 6 of the 10 items scheduled for discussion from the agenda. Among them, as summarized by Assen Vassilev from "We continue the change" - "all budget and tax laws".
The proposal was made by Pavela Mitova from the parliamentary group of "There is such a people".
In the end, they were left to discuss the following items:
1. Adoption of Internal Rules of Procedure of the Committee on Budget and Finance;
2. Hearing of the Acting Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Lyudmila Petkova, on the basis of Art. 111 of the Rules of Procedure for the Organization and Activities of the National Assembly regarding the Budget of the Republic of Bulgaria for 2025 (Submitted by: Asen Vassilev and a group of MPs, 20.12.2024);
................
6. Bills amending and supplementing the Value Added Tax Act No. 51-402-01-10 of 02.12.2024, submitted by the Council of Ministers; No. 51-454-01-31 of 12.12.2024, submitted by Atanas Zafirov and a group of MPs and No. 51-454-01-47 of 13.12.2024, submitted by Atanas Zafirov and a group of MPs – first vote;
7. Bill on the collection of revenues and the incurrence of expenses in 2025 until the adoption of the Law on the State Budget of the Republic of Bulgaria for 2025, — first vote.
Delyan Dobrev from GERB changed the subject and decided that Asen Vassilev did not have the necessary moral and professional qualities to lead the Budget Commission and asked for him to be replaced.
However, this did not happen, as it is "unacceptable".
"Thank you for wasting the time of all the members of the committee and the guests", replied the co-chair of "We continue the change".
Minister of Labor Lyudmila Petkova stated that she was "puzzled by the need for this hearing", since it had already taken place in the plenary hall.
"Tell us what the budget situation is. Categorically, clearly and unambiguously: is there a budget crisis, is there instability in public finances and is it becoming chronic", asked Krasimir Valchev from GERB.
"If there is a budget crisis, is it only due to salaries", he added his question.
"The problem starts in 2020. with the COVID crisis, then the EC allowed a derogation regarding the deficit. The problem does not come only from the increased costs for salaries and pensions. The unspent funds under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) total 9 billion: the unclaimed are 7 billion and 700 million, the unpaid second tranche is 1 billion and 300 million. These are capital funds“, she answered him.