site.btaGERB-UDF, Continue the Change Challenge 2026 State Budget in Constitutional Court

GERB-UDF and Continue the Change (CC) have both submitted requests to the Constitutional Court to declare the 2026 State Budget Act unconstitutional, with CC also contesting the Public Social Insurance Budget Act.

Speaking at a news briefing on Friday, Vladislav Goranov MP of GERB–UDF said: "We have submitted a request to the Constitutional Court seeking a declaration of unconstitutionality of the State Budget Act." He noted the main argument is that the law contradicts the Public Finance Act, adding that it also violates the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. 

Goranov said that the referral was backed by 50 MPs and also received the support of Continue the Change. If the Constitutional Court strikes down the 2026 State Budget Act, the previously adopted budget extension law would remain in force, he added.

Addressing the media before entering the Court building with CC leader Assen Vassilev and other MPs, Stoyu Stoev of Continue the Change said that they were submitting two referrals to the Court — against the State Budget Act and the Public Social Insurance Budget Act. He added that they had collected the signatures of more than 50 MPs, with support coming only from GERB–UDF. 

Stoev outlined four grounds for asking the Court to review the legislation. The first concerns linking judges' salaries to MPs' pay, which he described as the clearest example of unconstitutionality in the budget and a direct violation of the principle of the separation of powers. In Stoev's words, this places the judiciary under political influence, contrary to international principles and standards. The second ground is the suspension of the mechanism for determining the minimum wage without introducing an alternative. Stoev said there is no obligation to use a specific mechanism, but Bulgaria is required under an international treaty to have a formula for calculating the minimum wage. The third ground concerns provisions in the Public Social Insurance Budget Act relating to decisions by the Medical Expert Evaluation Board, while the fourth concerns amendments to the Labour Code governing the calculation of employees' length of service.

Stoev also argued that the budget law was being used to amend matters unrelated to the budget through its transitional and final provisions, without proper justification or public consultation on issues of major importance. He also expressed surprise that Democratic Bulgaria (DB) had not supported the referral, given that CC and DB share similar views, particularly on the Judiciary System Act.

Parliament gave final approval to Bulgaria's 2026 State Budget Act on July 24, and the law was subsequently promulgated by President Iliana Iotova. The 2026 Public Social Insurance Budget Act was adopted conclusively on July 22 and was gazetted the same day, together with the National Health Insurance Fund Budget Act.