site.btaProtests Clearly Frighten Ruling Coalition, So They Refuse to Discuss Draft 2026 Budget, CC-DB MP Mirchev Says

Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) MP Ivaylo Mirchev told journalists on Wednesday in the parliamentary lobby: “They were obviously frightened by the protest we organized, and Peevski's ruling coalition, the curator of the Museum of Socialist Budgets, immediately voted in the opposite direction.” Mirchev made the comment after the plenary hall rejected the proposal to include the draft National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) budget and the 2026 State Budget bill on the agenda and the GERB-UDF and There Is Such a People joint news conference.

“It is very important for citizens to come out and protest tomorrow,” Mirchev said. Asked why there should be protests after the ruling parties explained the situation, he replied: "Because, apart from the attempt today to readopt the old budget so that Peevski can hold his elections worth billions, they are also trying to drop the voting machines and sabotage the removal of Peevski's security detail." Mirchev added the consideration of the proposal that the rules of the global Magnitsky Act apply in Bulgaria to the arguments for protesting. “This should be reviewed by a parliamentary committee,” he added.

CC-DB Co-chair Assen Vassilev said he believes that people should protest because they want "Borissov and Peevski removed from the Bulgarian political system." “It is clear that without protests, these people get carried away, trying to push through their thieving budget again,” he said.

CC-DB once again raised the issue of GERB-UDF leader Boyko Borissov and MRF-New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski’s security detail. They believe that the funds allocated for this could be used to build kindergartens instead. CC-DB wants the parliamentary Committee on Internal Security and Public Order to consider the proposal to remove Peevski's security detail.

"We have raised the issue of the Election Code and machine voting," Vassilev said. “What we see is that they are trying in every way to regroup, but they will not succeed,” he added.