site.btaParliamentary Legal Committee Approves 2026 Judiciary Budget at First Reading

The parliamentary Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs approved at first reading on Wednesday the funding for the judiciary under the draft 2026 State Budget. A total of ten MPs voted in favour, while six voted against the Council of Ministers’ proposal. The Committee rejected the proposals submitted by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) with no votes in favour, six votes against, and ten abstentions.

During the committee meeting, Justice Minister Georgi Georgiev commented on the judiciary’s budget framework. “It is only natural that the system providing the public service of justice should be expenditure-oriented toward ensuring adequate staffing and all essential resources,” he said.

According to the report of the parliamentary Committee on Budget and Finance, the Council of Ministers proposes a reduction of judiciary revenues for 2026 by EUR 11.3 million compared to 2025. The total amount of expenditures is set at EUR 816.0 million, an increase of EUR 108.2 million compared to the amount approved under the 2025 State Budget Act. Under these projections, the difference in expenditures between the two competing draft budgets amounts to EUR 180.2 million.

The planned funds for current expenditures necessary for the operation of judicial institutions total EUR 785.2 million, representing an increase of EUR 100.7 million compared to 2025, including EUR 98.0 million in additional personnel costs. Capital expenditures are increased by EUR 7.5 million compared to 2025.

The Council of Ministers supports the SJC’s proposal to maintain the reserve for unforeseen and/or urgent expenditures at the 2025 level of EUR 0.5 million. The budgetary transfer from the central budget to the judiciary for 2026, calculated as the net result of the planned financial parameters, is proposed at EUR 741.8 million. The difference between the two draft budgets in terms of the transfer from the central budget is EUR 193.0 million.

The Supreme Judicial Council, in its own draft for 2026, proposes reducing judiciary revenues by EUR 16.4 million compared to the 2025 State Budget Act. Under the SJC draft, total expenditures amount to EUR 996.2 million, an increase of EUR 288.4 million compared to the 2025 level. Of this, EUR 923.4 million is allocated for current expenditures (EUR 238.9 million more than in 2025), including an increase of EUR 201.4 million for personnel costs. The SJC also proposes maintaining the reserve for unforeseen and/or urgent expenditures at the 2025 level of EUR 0.5 million. The proposed transfer from the central budget for 2026 is EUR 934.8 million.