site.btaUPDATED PM Denkov: Budget 2023, Preparation of Budget 2024 Are Prime Tasks of Incumbent Government

Budget 2023 and the drafting of Budget 2023 are the prime tasks of the incumbent Government, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov said on Bulgarian National Radio's  "Sunday 150" programme. He specified that the executive should work very closely with the National Assembly. Proper planning means having not only quick, but also medium-term results. Already this year two new funds should be opened - in the field of sport and culture, for the implementation of projects, the Prime Minister said.

Denkov also said he has met with Finance Minister Assen Vassilev, who assured him he would manage to keep all social payments and would make a budget with a 3% deficit, as well as that that all pensions would be increased by 12% from July 1. No increase of taxes is foreseen either.

There will be less capital spending because there is no project readiness. An increase in revenues is expected, Denkov said.

The budget will provide capital expenditures per region, planned as a large fund of about BGN 2 billion to be given to the municipalities so that they can prepare for the winter, to make repairs, the Prime Minister explained.

Commenting on the reinstatement of Rumen Spetsov, who headed the agency under the Kiril Petkov cabinet, as head of the National Revenue Service, Denkov said the only reason for that was that the first time he was in this position, he managed to secure more than BGN 7 billion above what was planned in the budget. His role is again to tighten all the leakages in the budget so that the funds can be collected and the payments can be secured. Besides, a previous investigation had proved there was nothing against Spetsov and a better expert would be sought if he did not show what was expected of him.

"Political attacks must be distinguished from expert substance", the Prime Minister was adamant, and stressed that the state's coffers were not empty. There are political forces, particularly Vazrazhdane, that act on the principle "the worse it is for the state, the better for the party leadership", and they do not care whether that is good for the people, the Prime Minister said.

Nikolay Denkov said that there should be continuity between the governments and defined as a "hostile act" the dismissal of all deputy ministers on the last day of the caretaker government.

The election of members of the regulatory authorities should be a procedure that is transparent, with the nominees discussed publicly in Parliament, seeking a decision not through a hidden quota principle, but by presenting persons who can get public support and consensus support from the parties, Denkov said.

Referring to news spreading on social media, the Prime Minister affirmed that as long as he is prime minister, Bulgaria will not send troops to Ukraine. And there was no such discussion in the caretaker government. Armaments are in the competence of the Defense Ministry, Denkov said. Many lies and unverified information are being spread on social networks, he added.