site.btaParliamentary Budget Committee Adopts Budget Extension Bill for 2026

The parliamentary budget committee approved an extension budget bill, submitted by the outgoing government of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. The vote  was 13 in favor, 4 against, and 1 abstention.

On Monday, the outgoing government proposed to Parliament the approval of the revenue collection and expenditure execution bill for 2026 until the adoption of the State Budget Act, the and the budgets of Public Social Insurance, and the National Health Insurance Fund.

Outgoing Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova presented the motives for the bill. Under Article 87, paragraph 1 of the Public Finance Act, if the state budget is not adopted by the National Assembly before the start of the fiscal year, budget revenues are to be collected in accordance with existing laws, while expenditures and transfers may be made up to the amount of the previous year for the same period, limited to the revenues, aid, and donations received. The provision also takes into account laws and acts already in force by the National Assembly and the Council of Ministers that allocate additional or reduced budgetary funds, while complying with fiscal rules under this law and the fiscal targets, approved by the Council of Ministers in the medium-term budget forecast.

The bill specifies that when revenues for a given period are insufficient to cover expenditures and transfers, payment limits are reduced proportionally to match available revenues. 

Minister Petkova also explained that the bill reflects changes in the minimum wage, specifying that the established levels of basic monthly salaries in budgetary organizations as of December 31, 2025, cannot be reduced or increased within the position held, except for those employed at the minimum wage.

The bill also proposes that, until the adoption of the State Budget Act of Bulgaria for 2026, municipalities implementing projects under the investment programme be allowed to finance projects through the Bulgarian Development Bank up to an annual amount of BGN 900 million, as provided in the currently effective 2025 Budget Law.

The parliamentary health committee approved the 2026 budget extension bill at first reading without debate, with 11 votes in favor, and 4 against.