Balgarianovinite.com Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova said on Nova TV here on Sunday that the 2026 draft state budget provides an EUR 884 million increase in public-sector salaries compared to 2025 – the lowest annual rise since 2022. The Finance Ministry previously announced that average public-sector pay will grow by 5%.
Petkova said she listens to all criticisms of the 2026 Budget but has not heard arguments that substantiate the opposition’s claims. According to her, the document reflects everything that has happened in Bulgaria’s socio-political life over the past four years — “political limbo, lack of stability, the absence of a regular government willing to take responsibility for its policies.” She added that populism in public finance had been extremely high, and the 2026 Budget shows the consequences of that.
Responding to opposition claims that the draft contains excessively high spending and high debt, Petkova said all expenditures stem from existing legislation. “Every expenditure in the 2026 State Budget Law is based on the current legal framework and on the policies and standards adopted in recent years in the management of public finances,” she stated. She added that any revision of policy in various sectors would require a broad public debate with all stakeholders.
Petkova cited a Finance Ministry analysis focusing on two major expenditure categories — personnel costs and social and health-insurance payments, including pensions. From 2022 to the present, spending in these categories has risen by 33.81 billion leva. She stressed that wage and pension increases should happen through economic growth, when economic conditions justify them.
The minister expressed regret that the National Tripartite Council had not conducted a dialogue with employers, as this would have been an opportunity to clarify many of business’ concerns.
Regarding the planned two-percentage-point increase in the pension-fund contribution, Petkova noted that the last increase – by one percentage point – was in 2018. At that time, pension expenditures amounted to BGN 9 billion, compared to BGN 24 billion today. The state budget transfer required to pay pensions and all related benefits was BGN 4 billion leva then, compared to BGN 12.1 billion now. She said Bulgaria must have sustainable public finances and a stable pension system ahead of eurozone entry, and the measure aims precisely at that.
Petkova also stated that the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria has nothing to do with rising prices. The National Revenue Agency is carrying out 258 inspections at retail sites to determine whether price increases are justified. Sixty-five cases of unjustified price hikes have been identified. So far, more than 8,000 inspections related to compliance with the Euro Introduction Act have been conducted.
Finally, Petkova commented that in her view, Rumen Spetsov is the most suitable person to serve as special administrator of Lukoil. The post, she said, should not be held by someone who is an engineer or understands the technical operation of the refinery, but by someone capable of making management decisions involving complex financial processes. Bulgaria’s Finance Minister Defends 2026 Budget, Highlights Modest Public-Sector Pay Rise and Pension Reforms Ahead of Euro Adoption 2025 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-11-23 20:07:00 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
