Balgarianovinite.com Parliament’s final approval of the 2026 State Budget Act on Friday prompted criticism across the opposition, with parties attacking the government’s fiscal policy, spending priorities and lack of reforms. The budget projects a deficit of 5.7% of GDP and sets the ceiling for new government borrowing in 2026 at EUR 10.1 billion.
GERB-UDF MP and former finance minister Temenuzhka Petkova described the 2026 State Budget Act as “a scandalous budget law with hugely inflated spending, a record deficit and EUR 10.1 billion in debt the government will incur by year-end.” She argued that, compared with the draft budget of former prime minister Rosen Zhelyazkov’s cabinet, the adopted budget projected EUR 778 million less in revenue and EUR 2.8 billion more in expenditure. Petkova also criticized the government for cutting subsidies for religious denominations by 25%, amending the Labour Code to change the way length of service was calculated – which she said would disadvantage some part-time employees, raising vignette prices by 30% from August 1, removing the annex listing municipal projects and leaving funding decisions to a single individual, and failing to allocate funding for the National Children’s Hospital.
Democratic Bulgaria (DB) MP Martin Dimitrov said the adoption of the 2026 state budget showed there was “no pilot in the cockpit,” arguing that the government lacked a governing programme and reform plan and had left Bulgaria facing both a budgetary and political crisis. He criticized the growing budget deficit, warning it would fuel inflation, increase public debt and risk sending the country into ”a downward spiral” similar to those experienced by Romania and Greece, and urged the government to reduce the deficit below 3% in the 2027 budget. Fellow DB MP Ivaylo Mirchev also described the adopted budget as harmful to the country.
Continue the Change leader Assen Vassilev called on President Iliana Iotova to veto the 2026 State Budget Act, describing it as “a disaster for Bulgarian citizens and businesses and a gift to the Bulgarian oligarchy.” He announced a petition urging a presidential veto on the State Budget Act, as well as the Public Social Insurance Budget Act and the National Health Insurance Fund Budget Act. Vassilev echoed some of the concerns raised by Petkova, criticizing what he said was the first budget since 2022 to omit funding for the National Children’s Hospital and religious sites, the first since 2024 to exclude municipal projects, and the first to place EUR 1 billion in municipal funding under the sole control of a single minister.
Vazrazhdane MP Tsoncho Ganev said the 2026 State Budget “takes Bulgaria back to the GERB era.” He argued that it froze social benefits, shifted the burden of fiscal stability onto pensioners, mothers and children, and contained no reforms or vision for social change despite the government’s parliamentary majority. He also slammed the budget for allocating funds to military spending, including “BGN 140 million for transporting F-16 fighter jets to Bulgaria“ and “nearly BGN 140 million for dredging the Port of Varna for military purposes, so as to enable large NATO vessels to enter.“ Opposition Slams 2026 State Budget after Final Approval 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-07-24 17:15:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law