I don't expect much in the new budget for 2025 and there is almost no way they will work out a 3% deficit, and there will be no touching on taxes and reducing capital expenditures, former BSP MP Georgi Kadiev shared in an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio. And he stated that this year Bulgaria will not enter the eurozone.
"In the last 4 years, Bulgaria has lagged far behind, not only has there been no reforms, but it is going backwards and it is evident in the budget. The first and main task of the "Zhelyazkov" cabinet is to make a budget. I am skeptical, I see that Petkova gave herself until February 14, why does she have 3 weeks? Trump turned the world upside down in 3 weeks, and she will make the budget with the same people in the Ministry of Finance. Petkova is not known as a visionary and a person with an extraordinary imagination," Kadiev commented on the "12+3" show.
According to him, a 9% deficit is a hole of 18 billion leva – the difference between revenues and expenditures:
"We cannot come out with a 9% deficit, because it means that the EU will immediately start an excessive deficit procedure, we will forget about the eurozone. And thirdly, we cannot fail to make an effort, since we have been within 3% every year."
He believes that there are many ways to make the deficit 3%, but it comes at a price – political and for society. He assessed as good the proposals for a tax on excess profits for banks and would add pharmaceutical, arms companies and telecoms and "to preserve a tax on excess profits for energy companies".
Kadiev admitted that he is against the participation of the left in this government:
"The truth is that for society, for me as a leftist and for society, that "do not enter into a coalition with GERB" was a guideline in the fog. There is certainly a personal motive, whether it is only him, I cannot judge, but he is the leading one."
And he commented that Delyan Peevski's influence is in no way going down, but on the contrary - it is rising. According to him, Peevski skillfully infiltrates parties, buys people or keeps them dependent with compromising materials.
"For me, the biggest evil for Bulgarian politics is Peevski. He positions himself as the most left-wing of all. I have the feeling that he has reached an agreement with the BSP that they should not raise, and he should raise left-wing causes - bread prices, zero tax, fighting against the Energy Regulatory Commission. BSP-OL has no part in this whole thing, it's as if they have made an agreement with him. Just think, one day Peevski will become a member of the PES."