site.btaPublic Procurement Contracts Posing Corruption Risk Will Not Receive Funding, Finance Minister Says

In an interview with bTV on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Galab Donev said that public procurement contracts deemed to pose a corruption risk would not receive funding and that all payments would undergo verification. "No completed activity that has been invoiced and for which a specific amount is due from the state budget will be left without oversight or an inspection of the work carried out," Donev added. Any cases of excessive spending would be investigated, he said, noting that the Public Financial Inspection Agency would intervene where necessary and construction-related projects would also be reviewed by the Directorate for National Supervisory Control. 

He spoke of the suspension of a public procurement procedure for road guardrails worth more than EUR 490 million, noting that nearly 40% of the contract was earmarked for administrative and legal services and marketing, while only 60% was allocated to the actual supply of guardrails. Donev said no payments had been made under the suspended contract, which is currently under review by the Commission on Protection of Competition.

In response to a question, Donev confirmed a statement made by Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev earlier in the day regarding the supply of guardrails in Bulgaria. Demerdzhiev noted that only two companies supply guardrails in this country, adding that "rumour has it that a single individual — a former prime minister — stands behind both of them."

The Finance Minister also commented on the 2026 state budget draft. All municipal projects that were scheduled for completion this year and were not financially secured in the 2024 and 2025 state budgets require funding now because they have already been completed. The projects are worth nearly BGN 9 billion in total, he added. "Whether these projects fit within the policies and programme of Progressive Bulgaria is another matter, but we cannot avoid paying for them," Donev said.

Asked whether the government was prepared to revise the size of the deficit, Donev said that the deficit figure reflects the actual situation, adding that it could be adjusted only through measures related to the revenue side of the budget or through measures aimed at limiting expenditure.

Donev added that the government remains in constant contact with the European Commission. "I have explained many times that behind this 5.7% deficit are municipal projects worth EUR 1.1 billion. The deficit also includes unpaid invoices from the Road Infrastructure Agency. In addition, there are more than EUR 1.2 billion in certified amounts that have not yet been accepted and invoiced," he said. The Minister said all completed projects would ultimately have an impact on the budget, with the State either paying the amounts due or refusing payment, depending on the findings of the relevant inspections.

He said that the draft law is undergoing the full coordination process, including consultations with the social partners. As part of that process, the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation is scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss the budget's parameters. Asked whether the Cabinet was willing to make concessions on the draft budget, Donev said the issue was "rather about dialogue and finding workable solutions wherever possible."