site.btaOpposition Slams 2026 State Budget after Final Approval

Parliament's final approval of the 2026 State Budget Act on Friday prompted criticism across the opposition, with parties attacking the government's fiscal policy, spending priorities and lack of reforms. The budget projects a deficit of 5.7% of GDP and sets the ceiling for new government borrowing in 2026 at EUR 10.1 billion.

GERB-UDF MP and former finance minister Temenuzhka Petkova described the 2026 State Budget Act as “a scandalous budget law with hugely inflated spending, a record deficit and EUR 10.1 billion in debt the government will incur by year-end.” She argued that, compared with the draft budget of former prime minister Rosen Zhelyazkov’s cabinet, the adopted budget projected EUR 778 million less in revenue and EUR 2.8 billion more in expenditure. Petkova also criticized the government for cutting subsidies for religious denominations by 25%, amending the Labour Code to change the way length of service was calculated - which she said would disadvantage some part-time employees, raising vignette prices by 30% from August 1, removing the annex listing municipal projects and leaving funding decisions to a single individual, and failing to allocate funding for the National Children’s Hospital.

Democratic Bulgaria (DB) MP Martin Dimitrov said the adoption of the 2026 state budget showed there was “no pilot in the cockpit,” arguing that the government lacked a governing programme and reform plan and had left Bulgaria facing both a budgetary and political crisis. He criticized the growing budget deficit, warning it would fuel inflation, increase public debt and risk sending the country into ”a downward spiral” similar to those experienced by Romania and Greece, and urged the government to reduce the deficit below 3% in the 2027 budget. Fellow DB MP Ivaylo Mirchev also described the adopted budget as harmful to the country.

Continue the Change leader Assen Vassilev called on President Iliana Iotova to veto the 2026 State Budget Act, describing it as “a disaster for Bulgarian citizens and businesses and a gift to the Bulgarian oligarchy.” He announced a petition urging a presidential veto on the State Budget Act, as well as the Public Social Insurance Budget Act and the National Health Insurance Fund Budget Act. Vassilev echoed some of the concerns raised by Petkova, criticizing what he said was the first budget since 2022 to omit funding for the National Children's Hospital and religious sites, the first since 2024 to exclude municipal projects, and the first to place EUR 1 billion in municipal funding under the sole control of a single minister.

Vazrazhdane MP Tsoncho Ganev said the 2026 State Budget “takes Bulgaria back to the GERB era.” He argued that it froze social benefits, shifted the burden of fiscal stability onto pensioners, mothers and children, and contained no reforms or vision for social change despite the government's parliamentary majority. He also slammed the budget for allocating funds to military spending, including “BGN 140 million for transporting F-16 fighter jets to Bulgaria“ and “nearly BGN 140 million for dredging the Port of Varna for military purposes, so as to enable large NATO vessels to enter.“