site.btaLabour and Social Policy Minister Hopes National Assembly Adopts 2026 State Budget as Quickly as Possible

Labour and Social Policy Minister Borislav Gutsanov told reporters, in response to a Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) question, that he hoped the budget would be adopted as quickly as possible by the National Assembly. Gutsanov participated in a discussion on the future of the labour market, organized at the Vrana Palace in Sofia by the European Liberal Forum on Friday.

Gutsanov expressed his expectation that the proposed draft budget would be carefully considered by MPs. "And if there are any viewpoints, they should be discussed in the plenary hall," he added.

On Thursday, the government approved the 2026 State Budget bill, as well as the draft budgets of the Public Social Insurance and the National Health Insurance Fund. The proposals were submitted to parliament.

Asked about the fact that the draft budget was approved by the government and submitted to the National Assembly without being discussed by the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation, Gutsanov commented that he could not say that the dialogue with employers had been interrupted.

“In this case, when it comes to the budget, there are different views. Ultimately, the state is above all else and steps must be taken to ensure normality, predictability, and growth, and that the dialogue is not interrupted by any of the parties,” Gutsanov said. The state cannot function without a budget, which is why it was approved by the Council of Ministers and is now to be reviewed by the National Assembly, he added.

“We have had over 20 meetings between trade unions and employer organizations over the past year and a half, we have an active dialogue and regular meetings,” Gutsanov said.