site.btaContinue the Change Opposes Parliament's Coffee, Tea, Nuts Procurement

Continue the Change has criticized Parliament's tender for coffee, tea and nuts. In a Facebook post, the party said the two-year procurement, worth more than EUR 103,000 including VAT, covers nine types of coffee, four types of tea, juices, sugar, sweets and nuts. "Our MPs do not use coffee paid for by the state," it said.

The party added that its office has its own coffee machine and that all coffee and related supplies are purchased with personal funds.

Earlier this week, the National Assembly launched a public procurement procedure for the supply of food and beverages for its administrative offices. According to a notice published in the Public Procurement Register, the estimated value of the contract is EUR 86,051 excluding VAT. Of that amount, EUR 53,788 has been earmarked for coffee, tea, cappuccino and similar products, while EUR 32,263 is allocated for food and other items, including soft drinks, lemons, sweets and nuts.

The open procurement procedure was launched on the basis of a decision of the Secretary General of the National Assembly.

"We proposed cutting the administration's inflated operating costs, including expenditure on purchases such as these, but Progressive Bulgaria did not support our proposals and instead defended an increase in these outlays," Continue the Change said, adding that the State budget is not meant to fund personal conveniences.