Balgarianovinite.com Progressive Bulgaria is proposing a record budget deficit, comparable to that under the administration of former prime minister Zhan Videnov (1995-1997), said Democratic Bulgaria (DB) MP Martin Dimitrov, quoted by the coalition’s press centre on wednesday. The comments came after the Finance Minister Galab Donev presented the main parameters of the draft budget for 2026 earlier in the day – it envisages a deficit of 5.7% of GDP, or just over EUR 7.2 billion.
The Videnov cabinet resigned two years early, on December 28, 1996, after surviving three no-confidence votes. Its departure came on the eve of month-long countrywide mass daily street protests and a national strike triggered by an uncontrollable economic crisis with 234% consumer price hyperinflation and 16 bank failures, resulting in a fiscal collapse.
Dimitrov said that with this budget, the ruling parties are effectively saying that reforms are being postponed while the burden on businesses is increasing. “A deficit of 5.7% has not been seen since the time of Zhan Videnov. This is a very dangerous trajectory: a growing deficit, rising inflation and slowing economic growth. All of this will be followed by tax increases in order to bring the situation under control. This is the dangerous scenario currently being created by Progressive Bulgaria,” Dimitrov said, adding that there are no adequate policies to stop the draining of the budget and no action plan or reform agenda.
DB Deputy Floor Leader Bozhidar Bozhanov said that the only reforms being proposed by the ruling party are those put forward by the opposition – related to public-sector employees paying their own social security contributions. At the same time, businesses are being burdened from August 1 with an increase in the maximum social security income threshold, he added.
DB MP Ivaylo Mirchev pointed out that six months ago hundreds of thousands of Bulgarian citizens took to the streets and brought down the government of Rosen Zhelyazkov. According to him, “one of the main reasons for this was the absurd budget of GERB and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms”.
“At the elections, Rumen Radev received overwhelming support and a strong mandate for a sound economic and budgetary policy. We are seeing nothing of the sort,” Mirchev added. According to him, the best year for bold reforms is the first year of any government. “Instead of reforms, we are seeing more of the same,” Mirchev said. Democratic Bulgaria Warns 5.7% Budget Deficit Draws Comparisons to Zhan Videnov Government 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-06-24 16:43:57 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
