site.btaCC-DB Urge for Restart of Budget Procedure

“The only way is for the budget to be withdrawn, go through the statutory procedure, be discussed within the Tripartite Council, and then submitted for first reading in Parliament,” Atanas Atanassov from Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) told journalists in Parliament on Friday.

According to him, the bill’s submitter is the one who must withdraw it. “The mandate holder said they would withdraw the budget, but today we see that they are starting to dodge the issue,” he said. “Either they withdraw the budget, or they should no longer rely on us,” he added.

Assen Vassilev said that to amend the budget, it is necessary to revise the motives in the three-year forecast, which contains over 200 pages, as well as to adjust key parameters in the revenue section. According to him, the proper course of action is for the budget to be withdrawn, a new three-year forecast to be prepared, discussed with the Tripartite Council, and then submitted to Parliament.

“It is impossible and meaningless to make such major changes to the budget on the fly,” the MP said.

“We have seen that a budget can be passed in four weeks,” Vassilev added. According to him, the budget can still be adopted before the New Year. “Let them get organized and not try to improvise,” he urged.

When asked where the money for pensions would come from, Vassilev replied: “The Finance Minister should specify that, and if she cannot handle this task, she should resign from the post.”

Ivaylo Mirchev from CC-DB added that the big question is whether the budget will actually be withdrawn. “Borissov said he would withdraw the budget, but then he was reprimanded, and Zafirov quickly went into Peevski’s office, where he received instructions,” the MP said.