site.btaParliament Amends Budget Act on First Reading to Include Mayors' Proposals for Municipal Investment

Parliament passed on first reading amendments to the 2025 State Budget Act so as to include new estimated costs under an investment programme for municipal projects. Submitted by the Council of Ministers, the amendment was backed by 158 votes with 12 voting against it and 25 abstaining.

The amendments reflect proposals made by mayors within the deadline of June 30, 2025. In the letters received, the mayors declared their desire to retain 2,405 projects, change the parameters of 503 projects, drop 158 projects, and add 564 new ones in the appendix. Thus, the number of projects in the appendix increases by 406, from 3,066 to 3,472, according to the submitter's explanatory memorandum.

With the proposed amendment to the investment programme for municipal projects, the projected amount of the projects for the entire period becomes BGN 8.184 billion, including BGN 3.879 billion for 2025 and BGN 4.305 billion for 2026-2027, covering 3,472 projects.

The budget update was backed by GERB-UDF, Vazrazhdane, MRF - New Beginning, BSP - United Left, There Is Such a People and Alliance for Rights and Freedoms, as well as four MPs of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB). Another 16 deputies of CC-DB abstained. MECh voted against or abstained and Velichie refused to support the changes.

During the debate, MPs of the opposition expressed concerns over lack of objectivity in the disbursement of the funding to the municipalities.

The conclusive vote will be after three days.