The MPs adopted the special bill on the implementation of revenues and expenditures in 2025 until the adoption of a regular budget in first reading, reports novini.bg. The bill was adopted with complete unanimity of 207 votes "for" in the plenary hall. The deadline for proposals between the two readings was shortened to three days.
It aims to ensure clarity and predictability in the collection of revenues, the spending of expenses and the implementation of transfers until the adoption of the budget laws for 2025. The bill also ensures the implementation of special laws regulating specific public relations until the adoption of the budget laws for 2025.
Assen Vassilev said from the parliamentary rostrum that the proposed bill is actually a "extending law" for the operation of the 2024 budget. He called on the parliament to start the consideration and adoption of the regular budget "as quickly as possible".
And he added: "The Council of Ministers has complete freedom to spend funds at its discretion by decree of the Council of Ministers. This is a practice from before 2021. For the first time with the 2021 update, then with the 2022 budget, the provision of Art. 1, para. 5, which clearly indicated which priority policies the Council of Ministers would finance, up to what amounts, of course, retaining the possibility for the Council of Ministers to decide that one policy would not be financed at the expense of another".
"The PP-DB parliamentary group will make an editorial proposal to introduce an explicit restriction on what expenditures can be made by the Council of Ministers", Vassilev also said.
Finance Minister Lyudmila Petkova responded to Vassilev by explaining that the provision of Art. 3, para. 3 of the bill is written down because it is necessary to make some payments in the field of defense.
"This is not indiscriminate spending and it is not a blank check to be provided to the Council of Ministers, but this is a legal opportunity in case of need to pay off some capital expenses so that there are no interest and sanctions," she said.
Martin Dimitrov said that the law with an extension nature will be supported by the parliamentary group. However, he said that a proposal will be made between the two readings, which will explicitly state that the Council of Ministers can make expenditures by its own decision, if such permission is given by parliament.
Yordan Tsonev from "DPS-New Beginning" appeals to the members of parliament to think carefully about which proposals can be made in the special bill. He said his parliamentary group supports all spending on social benefits and wage increases, as well as aid for farmers.